View Full Version : Glasses on contacts?
Earl Grey
09-20-2006, 09:30
Right now I wear glasses to drive and when im in class however I dont need them while at the computer. I guess I am nearsighted. On a thru hike would it be better to use contacts or glasses? You have to clean contacts unless you get some special ones I think I dont know much about contacts. Which would be more practical?
Earl Grey
09-20-2006, 09:31
Crap that should say glasses OR contacts.
Long feet
09-20-2006, 09:45
I am not a thru-hkier, but I would think that glasses with croakies would be lighter and more durable than carrying saline solution and cleaner. I suppose that you could repackage them into small bottles though, but would it then be sterile? I thing that contacts would be a pain on the trail with bugs and dust getting in your eyes anyway. But what is the saying, HYOH?
Hammerhead
09-20-2006, 10:10
I wear thirty day disposable lenses, and against what anyone says, I sleep with them in and I wear them for about three months. What I plan on doing for my thru-hike is to just bring a four month supply with me, a bottle of re-wetting drops, and my regular glasses. I just don't want to have to mess with cleaning my lenses on the trail.
short answer-there are at least two long threads on this topic from a year or so back. seach, and you'll get a lot answers quickly.
longer answer-for camping/hiking, i've got a pair of prescription glasses that are 'safety glass' rated (ie, OSHA approved), with a nearly indestructible plastic frame and spring hinges. i've worn glasses since i was 8, and poking something in my eye is un-natural, so i've never even tried contacts... but the ease of care (none, other than wiping them off) beats carrying all the junk i see my wife using (case, cleaner, saline, etc). my vote is for glasses.
Time To Fly 97
09-20-2006, 13:38
From previous thread...
I used to hike with contact lenses before successful Lasik and had a good system for the contacts. I used one of those little containers (2" high with contact holder attached to the top) for storage with the fold out baskets. The one I preferred had baskets that were convex. This allowed me to put my contact lens eye-side down onto the basket. This was an advantage because I never, ever touched the eye-side of the contact. Just piched them, put them in...pinched them, put them into the basket. I used Renu solution (all in one with no scrubbing and protein removal). I carried extra solution in a separate container (small) in my pack and sent the excess Renu up in my bump box (just replenished small container in each town).
If my contacts felt dry, this was a good indication that I was dehydrated. I would drink a lot and my eyes would re-hydrate. I cut down on wind drying my eyes out by going with Oakley sunglasses with the large "Heater" style lens with the M-frame. If my eyes got so dry that the contact shrank (this is the cause of the discomfort, or I got a little dirt in my eyes, I would take my contqcts out for a little while and put them in the Renu.
I always slept with my contact container on cold nights - probably useless paranoia...but didn't want to have them frozen in the morning.
I carried an extra set of contacts in my medical kit. I switched to a new set every 3-4 weeks depending on resupply points.
Happy hiking!
TTF
I just put my water glass on my contacts.... Dang that hurts!
JK....;)
Fahrenheit
09-20-2006, 19:02
I've got some of these contacts that you wear for 30 days and then toss. They are amazingly comfortable, though I can't think of the specific name I know they are from Bausch and Lombe (sp?) All I need to carry now is a spare pair and a small thing of eye drops.
saimyoji
09-20-2006, 19:14
With contacts you'll find that eye infections may be an issue. I saw a colleague that had frames that were nearly indestructible. He could bend them nearly in half and they would spring right back into shape. Perhaps these would help you.
Check the older threads as suggested for some detail. Basically, it comes down to contacts work for some and not others. You will find out how it works for you when you go hiking. Just be prepared to switch to glasses if the contact option doesn't work for you.
I had the same issue before I went out. I chose contacts, but got the extended wear kind, you keep them in for up to 30 days at a time. I had replacements in a bounce box, and changed them once in 4 months. I would say that's the best option. After a VERY short time you forget you have them in. Just don't touch your eyes and there's no problem with infection. I would reccommend telling the eye doctor what you're doing though. My doctor considered himself an outdoorsman and had no problem with giving me free samples of antibiotic eye drops. I kept them with me just in case, although I never used them. Being samples they only weiged an ounce or two. Even if you can't get the samples, it's probably not hard to find a doctor who'll give you a prescription as a preemptive strike.
Hope that helps.
hopefulhiker
09-21-2006, 18:38
I started out with contacts, the disposable kind. but switched to contacts after I got an eye infection in Damascus. Susan, a nurse at the hostel beside The Place helped me out. I needed reading glasses anyway to read maps and data sheets,so I just switched back to bifocals..
Another thought: Glasses = keep it simple. Contacts = potential for problems. HYOH, but my advice is KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid - not that any of us are stupid - it is just a saying afterall. :D )