Should you travel with daily disposable or reusable contact lenses?
Choose the contacts that match your lifestyle
If you’re looking for a definitive answer for which contact lenses are more convenient for travel, there isn’t one. Why? Because it all depends on what’s important to you. For some people, the added maintenance of reusable lenses isn’t an issue. For others, the fact that they don’t have to worry about cleaning and storing their lenses is a big benefit for daily disposables. Below, we’ll cover the pros and cons of both.
Daily disposables: Pros and cons while traveling
Daily disposables are exactly how they sound—lenses that you wear once and throw away at the end of the day. The next day, you put on brand new lenses.
Pro: No cleaning required
When you’re traveling, it can be harder to keep the kind of hygiene routine you have at home. With daily disposables, you don't have to worry about any of that, you can just throw away your lenses at the end of the day and put on new ones in the morning.
Pro: Potentially more comfort
When you start each day with a fresh pair of lenses, you're ensuring your contacts are free from buildup of any allergen or other contaminants, which can potentially mean more comfort. And the comfort of your eyes is incredibly important when you’re on the road seeing the sights.
Pro: Less stuff to pack
With daily disposables, you just have to bring the lenses with you. No need for multipurpose contact lens solutions or contact lenses cases.
Con: More expensive
It’s no secret that daily disposables run up a higher price tag than reusable lenses. New lenses every day means higher cost, but for many, it’s worth it.
Con: More contact lens waste
If you’re eco-conscious, you may feel guilty tossing out so many lenses, but keep in mind that wearing disposable contact lenses means there’s no need for multipurpose contact lens solution or contact lens storage cases.
Reusable contact lenses: Pros and cons while traveling
Unlike daily disposables, reusable contact lenses require some maintenance. Each day when you’re done wearing them, you’ll clean, rise and disinfect each lens overnight before putting them in the next day. They typically require either two-week or monthly replacement schedules.
Pro: Less expensive
For many, cost is a deciding factor when it comes to purchasing contact lenses. For this, reusable lenses are a clear winner. They tend to be significantly less expensive than daily disposables.
Pro: Less contact lens waste
Using the same pair of lenses for weeks means you’re throwing away fewer contact lenses, but the total amount of waste may be comparable—reusable lenses require the use of multipurpose contact lens solution and contact lens cases.
Con: Maintenance required
Traveling means you aren’t in your home setup. Depending on where you go, it might be hard to find clean water to wash your hands with, or you may have minimal counter space. To keep your contacts safe, comfortable and debris-free, you need to make sure to clean and store them as well as you do when you’re at home.
Con: More luggage
When you’re traveling, space is at a premium. Having to carry multipurpose contact lens solution may mean having to leave something else home. Be sure to follow the TSA liquid requirements if you’re packing your multipurpose contact lens solution in your carry-on.
Let’s get specific: Exploring different travel scenarios
Now that you understand the pros and cons, consider some real-world scenarios to help you get a feel for traveling with daily disposables vs. reusable lenses.
Scenario 1: Quick weekend getaway
You decide to take a last-minute weekend trip to the beach, and you pack daily disposables. You don’t need to bring cleaning solution or your storage case, just your contact lenses, so you’re able to pack lighter. Even so, you realize you'd have to take off and throw away your lenses before you go swimming or think you'll be exposed to water (say, if you have a friend that likes to splash), so you decide to wear glasses any time you're at the beach.
Scenario 2: A two-week European tour
You’re planning a longer journey through France and Germany and you’re a long-time reusable lens wearer. Your reusable lenses are less expensive than daily disposables, so they help you stay on-budget. You’ll need to pack a few pairs (making sure to have backups in case some get lost or torn) and a small bottle of solution. The biggest challenge will be making sure to maintain your routine for cleaning and disinfecting your lenses, but since you’re experienced, you’re confident you can do it.
Scenario 3: Adventure travel
You’re heading to a remote location to go hiking, zip-lining, and rock climbing. You talk to your eye doctor and they prescribe you some daily lenses to help with trip hygiene, but they recommend taking glasses and wearing them any time you can’t thoroughly wash your hands before putting on or taking off your contacts.
Talk to your eye doctor about what’s best for you
While we can’t help you make the choice as to which kind of contact lenses will be better for you when you travel, there’s one person who can: your eye doctor. Now that you know the pros and cons, chat with them about what your travel plans are, and they’ll give you your contact lens options. For now, there’s only one thing left to tell you. Bon voyage!
Frequently asked questions
Important Information for Contact Lens Wearers: ACUVUE Contact Lenses are available by prescription only for vision correction. An eye care professional will determine whether contact lenses are right for you. Although rare, serious eye problems can develop while wearing contact lenses. To help avoid these problems, follow the wear and replacement schedule and the lens care instructions provided by your eye doctor. Do not wear contact lenses if you have an eye infection, or experience eye discomfort, excessive tearing, vision changes, redness or other eye problems. If one of these conditions occurs, remove the lens and contact your eye doctor immediately. For more information on proper wear, care and safety, talk to your eye care professional and ask for a Patient Instruction Guide, call 1-800-843-2020, or download the Patient Instruction Guides.
