Contact wearers' what's your secrets

[Elkfitness]

Have had contacts for 30 years. Gradually moved to 2 week contacts and daily’s. Most of the above is what I do. I bring two extra, and glasses, and eye drops. I used to bring solution when I had contacts I cleaned each night but not with daily’s. Each morning I just wash the face with a wet wipe, make sure hands are as clean as can be with wet wipes / water. If I remember, I bring sanitizer a small then wipe of with wet wipe. I have a small compact mirror I’ve used for a signal mirror/camo mirror/bug in the eye mirror. I used it early on to help with contacts and now just put them in. During 4th season or for winter camping, if I am placing my water bottle in my bag to keep it from freezing, I do the same for the contacts.


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[5MilesBack]

I'm not sure what the mirror is for......I've never used a mirror for contacts. I also slide my contact case inside my merino base layer at night against my thigh. It stays in place and keeps the lenses warm so it's not like putting an ice cube in my eye every morning.

 

[dirtdriver28]

that would definitely suck waking up to frozen contacts!!

 

[Fendrick]

I’m bad, I just leave em in a month at a time.

That’s been my MO for years. I would put a fresh pair in before I leave and carry a spare pair and glasses.
I am blind without, so not having glasses is not an option if something happens that irritates an eye
I’ve been wearing contacts for almost 30 years, and haven’t needed a mirror since my teens.

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

I have monthly lenses. I talked with my eye doc and got the go ahead to just leave them in overnight, and use hydrating drops in the AM. I bring a spare set of contacts, and glasses as backup though. The doctor said that would be better than risking infection from my hands by the second week without a shower or soap. I made sure to give it a test run at home, but it works fine for me.

 

[MeatMissile]

Used to be able to do this and then the weekend my daughter was born it was like a switch flipped. I think it was the dry hospital air or something. I had worn the same brand of sleep in contacts for ten years with no issues. After that, I could not even wear the super thin daily’s without being miserable. It took almost 18 months before I finally could wear them again. The eye doctor had no idea what was going on.

Did they check under your eyelids? Allergic reactions will manifest themselves as bumps.

 

[hikenhunt]

I'm the same as several here:
- Don't use a mirror at home, so don't need one in the field
- Leave them in overnight, I'm using dailys (practiced this at home first)
- Bring a couple spare contacts
- Pack an old pair of thin frame glasses just in case. My vision is pretty bad, so i always have a pair of glasses with me
- Bring one or two of the single use eye drops as well.

 

[Time2fish]

I use daily wear lenses, I bring a few extras. Semi hard case for my glasses, it’s lighter and less bulky than a full hard case. A small bottle of moisture drops for the dusty/windy days.
no mirror.

 

[archp625]

One case, smallest bottle of solution half full, one spare pair of contacts. No glasses, no mirror.

How long have you been wearing contacts?

This is exactly what I do. I put all this in a small ziplock bag. It if dips below freezing I put it in my sleeping bag at night.

 

[Baddog]

Best money I ever spent was on lasik. But when I wore contacts I’d take a couple spares and glasses because I would have been helpless without them

 

[Rokwiia]

I just wear glasses. I tried backpacking with contacts for about two days on a scouting trip and determined it wasn't worth the hassle for me.

I'm wearing sunglasses a lot of the time anyway, so it's easier to just not bother.

My prescription in my better eye isn't too bad though, so I can hike/shoot etc. without them in the event they fog up or something. I usually don't have too many problems though. They've saved my eyes from getting poked a few times.

I use daily-wear lenses. Take out the old and put in the new each day.

To protect my eyes, I'm always wearing either sunglasses or clear lenses in my sunglasses frame. They saved me a few times from a potential problem from tree branches.

 

[Rock-o]

Maybe I've been wearing my contacts a lot longer (probably close to thirty years), but I can put them in and take them out without a mirror/phone/whatever.

Anyways, I start a trip with a fresh pair. Take one spare pair. I almost always take them out at night. Travel bottle of solution. Wash hands before touching contacts and putting finger in eyes. Glasses in their hard case they came in from the eye doctor.

 

[Sherman]

Switched to dailies and never looked back. Changed my life.

 

[Ridge Ghost]

Before I had lasik I would wear extended wear contacts, sleep in them, and apply a few rewetting drops when I woke up. It seemed to work pretty well, and I liked not having to touch my eye with my dirty backcountry fingers.

That said, my advice is to get lasik if you can and don't look back. It's a game changer.

 

[*zap*]

40+ years with contacts, I use daily lenses but I use them foe a few days then toss em. I always have some spares and a pair of sports glasses with me....generally. The sports glasses on a strap are very comfortable and e-z to flip up on my forehead in order to see close without readers.. my uncorrected vision is perfect for close in up to 12" or so.

 

[thejones]

Like others have said, I wear daily contacts. I change them everyday, bring a few extra and my glasses in a hard case. Keep them close in winter so they don't freeze, and hike out my trash.
Enjoy and good luck!

 

[mm509]

Blink brand eye drops!! I have one eye with an astigmatism, and I was terrified what it would be like fighting that contact for any length of time being left in. I have found that if I eye drop before bed, immediately after waking up, and periodically throughout the day I am in good shape. The longest I've left it in is 7 days. I always take at least one extra pair with me, for in case an emergency.

 

[eyeguy]

Lots of good advice. Dailies make sense as do extended wear. Dont try extended wear IE sleep in for your first go rounds on the mountain that might very well end poorly. Talk to your eye dr about getting a high o2 perm lens that moves easily on the eye with each blink and decide if the risks of extended wear are worth it. they work out well for better than 50 percent of the patients that try them. Contact lens rewetting drops or artificial tears before bed, during the night if you wake up enough and first thing in the am would be helpful but not needed for all patients.
Acuvue oasys one day are my favorite dailies and ciba night and day are my favorite extended wear lens. Lots of success with other brands... but if I had to pick just one lens to fit all my patients with for each modality those would be it.

 

[Hound Dog]

I have wore contacts my whole life. I do exactly what I would to at home, that way your eyes aren't in shock when you try to switch it up. I wear monthlys so I wash my hands and take them out every night. I have a compact makeup mirror and it works fine. I put them in a sock in the bottom of my sleeping bag to prevent them from freezing. I keep my backup glasses handy in tent in case I have to get up in the night and deal with any unwanted creatures.

 

[TILLER]

Best money I ever spent was on lasik. But when I wore contacts I’d take a couple spares and glasses because I would have been helpless without them

I used daily contacts when I wore them. I’d bring a few extra in case I dropped one. LASIK was expensive upfront, but it was incredibly worth it, hard to overstate how nice it is not to have to deal with contacts and to have excellent vision.