Versus glasses contacts to make

THere are many things to complain about a walk: there are no fresh vegetables, distance from their loved ones and persistent pain throughout their body. However, the list easily for me is the daily discomfort of taking out and putting my contacts while on the way. My hands are never clean, dirt inevitably ends in my eye, and I spend the first miles every day flashing irritation. I have met many hikers who have chosen to undergo a surgical procedure only to avoid this frustrating task already often unpleasant.

It is frustrating how such a mundane and common home can become this stressful, uncomfortable and potentially insecure activity within the four walls of my store. There is not much with me in my backpack on a walk and, for me, the ability to see is an absolute imperative outdoors.

In this article, I will briefly touch how to generally protect your eyes on the way before immersing yourself in the sandy to use. glasses vs. Contacts By through the hand. And who would it be if I didn’t leave you with some tips on how to wear glasses or contacts alone little A little more ultralight?

Discharge of responsibility: I am not a doctor! Consult a qualified medical professional if you have any concerns about your vision.

But first: the way in which each hiker can protect their eyes

Whether or not you need vision correction, all hikers must take care of their eyes on the way. The conditions in the mountains can be hard in their ocular balloons, and if it does not take measures to protect them, it could cause problems in the future.

Exposure to UV rays intensifies at higher altitudes, increasing by approximately 4% with every 300 meters (approximately 1,000 feet) of climbing. In addition, the snow reflects an 80% substantial UV light, drastically raising the risk of photokelatitis, commonly known as snow blindness. Damage due to exposure to UV rays accumulates over time and can lead to long -term conditions such as cataracts, macular degeneration and corneal damage.

Continuous and prolonged exposure to environmental stressors, even apparently minor such as low -level or dust UV radiation, can accumulate for weeks or months along the way, resulting in significant long -term damage or chronic irritation that may not be apparent immediately.

So how can you help prevent this? Sunglasses!

High quality sunglasses are their main defense against UV rays and glow. Be sure to prioritize lenses that offer 100% UV protection and are polarized, since polarized lenses significantly reduce the glow of reflective surfaces such as water and snow. The sunglasses also do a great job to protect a large number of physical irritants that can be found while on the way, such as low branches and winding winds full of dust.

A hat with edge is an excellent addition to its sunglasses, since it reduces the amount of direct UV radiation that reaches its eyes. And if it is half of their day and their eyes seem tired, they take a little break, feel and close their eyes for a few minutes. The eyes also need to rest!

Versus glasses contacts to make

Through glasses

Ok, now that I have said my piece about the importance of protecting your eyes in general while on a walk, we can enter some specific tips for glasses through hikers. Over the years, I discovered that everything, from choosing the right glasses until they take care of them, contributes to how good I can keep my functional and intense glasses.

Choose frames and backpackers

I had to buy new glasses a few weeks before starting in the continental divide Trail, which gave me the opportunity to choose frames that would work during a walk. I wanted to prioritize light strength, construction and material that could endure a bit of humidity and a little climate.

Materials such as titanium, aluminum and plastic are excellent options for these criteria.

When it came to the lenses, I defeated the Anti-Fog coating, and I never had to think about the accumulation of condensation during my walk. While it was worth the cost for me, the hikers aware of the budget may consider choosing smaller frames (and, by extension, smaller lenses). Less surface area means less propensity for the lenses to tarnish.

My little ultralight trick to wear glasses on the path is to find a very light glasses box and have it double as its first aid kit. I knew that I wanted a case to protect my glasses that they broke in my bag during the day, but I did not love the idea of ​​all that wasted space in the case around my glasses. I was able to fit almost all my first aid kit there, including leucootape, gauze, ibuprofen, alcohol wipes and iodine wipes.

Even on the trees, the sun is bright and must take measures to protect its eyes from UV radiation.

Prioritize strict hygiene in remote environments

Hand washing is the most critical step for contact lens users. Hands should always be washed well with soap and soap before touching lenses or eyes. If soap and soap are really inaccessible, a disinfectant for alcohol -based hands can be used as a substitute, but it is important to allow it to dry completely Before touching your lenses or your eyes. I discovered this in the difficult way.

Fresh contact lens solution should be used every time time lenses are removed and stored. Reuse the old solution or «overcome» the existing solution in the case significantly reduces the effectiveness of disinfection and drastically increases the risk of eye infections. Did I follow this advice all the time on the road? No, but do what I say, not like me.

Selecting the best type of contact lens to make

Daily disposables They are my recommendation to make use due to the difficulties of maintaining strict hygiene in the field. These lenses are used for a day and then discarded, eliminating the need for solutions and cases of cleanliness and significantly reducing the risk of infection.

They offer an ultralight advantage since hikers only need to wear the lenses themselves, not a voluminous solution. However, the logistics of constantly supplying new contact lenses along the way can be a bit headache.

Extended wear lensesWhile it is designed for clothing during the night or several days, it entails a significantly higher risk of severe corneal infection with any wear during the night. If considering this option, talking first with a doctor is important.

If you choose Reusable lensesA multipurpose solution serves as a system all in one to clean, rinse, disinfect and store soft contact lenses. You will have to carry enough contact solution to you to use a fresh solution every night.

Lasik to do

Laser -assisted in situ (lasik) keratomileusis is a refractive surgical procedure that offers potentially permanent vision correction, eliminating the daily dependence on glasses or contact lenses. For hikers, the perspective of a perfect vision without additional considerations along the way is very tempting.

Risks and side effects of LASIK

As a surgical procedure, Lasik involves inherent risks. Common temporal side effects, which are usually resolved in a few weeks to six months, include dry eyes (affecting up to 60-70% of patients), vision fluctuations, glow or halos around the lights (especially at night), mild discomfort during healing and light sensitivity.

The least common but more serious complications may include subcorrection or overcorrection (which require additional procedures or corrective glasses), regression (a gradual return of some refraction error), flap complications (rare with modern techniques), infection (extremely rare, less than 0.1% of patients) and corneal ectasia (a rare but serious condition where the thins and bulges severely damage). In very rare cases, the vision can get worse or lose.

The decision to submit to LASIK implies compensation. Although it offers significant long -term convenience and the freedom of glasses and contacts, this has the cost of initial surgical risks and potential complications, some of which, such as dry eyes, can be exacerbated by the environment of the path. The decision requires a careful weight of these permanent benefits against the high cost of the procedure and the inherent, although low risks, of an irreversible procedure.

If you plan to follow this route, it would be better to make your Lasik at least a few months before your walk to give them the opportunity to heal completely and to reduce short -term side effects.

Each scratch of my sunglasses for when I arrived in Canada was a scratch in my eyeball that the glasses physically avoided.

If you have questions, go talk to your doctor!

Vs. Contacts for by: keep your time on the road 20/20

Navigating a walk is quite difficult without adding the complexities of vision to the mixture. While you can adopt many approaches to obtain your vision until 20/20, you must prioritize your ocular health independently. Be sure to bring good sunglasses and a wing hat to any path that calls you!

Outstanding image: Photo through Katie Jackson. Graphic design by Chris rudder.