Airplane cabins are one of the worst environments for contact lenses. Humidity drops to around 10%. Air circulates constantly. Your eyes dry out faster than they would anywhere on the ground. If you are flying with colored contacts, a little preparation prevents a lot of discomfort at 35,000 feet.
Wear Glasses for the Flight
The simplest solution is to skip contact lenses entirely on long flights. Your lenses dehydrate in the dry cabin air, and removing them in an airplane bathroom is not something you want to attempt. If you wear glasses, switch to them for the flight and put your lenses in after you land. Your eyes will thank you.
If You Must Wear Lenses: Carry Drops
Rewetting drops are non-negotiable on a flight. Use them before takeoff, at the midpoint of the flight, and before landing. The cabin air at 10% humidity will dry your lenses several times faster than normal indoor air. HEMA+NVP hydrogel at 38% water content holds up reasonably well, but no lens survives an eight-hour flight at 10% humidity without help.
Pack Lenses in Your Carry-On
Never check your colored contacts. Cargo hold temperatures can freeze the solution in the blister packs, which damages the hydrogel material. Your lenses, case, and travel-sized solution bottle go in your carry-on or personal item, where the temperature stays regulated.
Plan for the Time Zone Change
If you are flying overnight and sleeping on the plane, take your lenses out before you sleep. Sleeping in lenses — especially in a dry cabin — combines two of the biggest contact lens risks into one. Remove them, store them in fresh solution, and reinsert after you wake up and wash your hands.
Read the full travel guide here. Browse travel-friendly lenses.