[pct-l] Glasses and Contacts

[yogihikes at sbcglobal.net (yogi)]

On the PCT, I wore disposable contacts ? the kind you can wear for a week or two continuously. I used a pair for a month then got a new set in my resupply box. I also always carried one extra pair of contacts in my pack. I took my contacts out every time I went into town. If I just went into town to resupply and eat, I cleaned them out in the bathroom of a restaurant. If I stayed overnight in a hostel or motel, I took the contacts out overnight. I never took them out on the trail. These contacts require solution. Check out the travel-sized toiletries section of Wal-Mart for a 2 oz bottle of Renu Multi-Purpose solution. It?s only $1.50. I carried a small bottle of solution, contact case, and glasses in my pack. My glasses are in a hard case.

On the CDT in 2004, I switched to Bausch & Lomb one day disposable contacts. They?re called "Soft Lens". I put a new pair of contacts in my eyes every morning, took them out at night and threw them away. I liked this type of contacts MUCH better than the disposables I wore on the PCT. I found that with a new pair of contacts each day, I didn?t get any irritation. Carrying extra contacts is much lighter than carrying contact solution.

I know many hikers who wear contacts while thru-hiking. They?re no more work on the trail than they are here at home. If you wear contacts, choose your sunglasses carefully. There is fine, fine, fine sand on the entire PCT. It blows and gets everywhere. If you can find sunglasses that wrap around the side of your face a bit, this will help keep the sand out of your eyes. But you don?t want your sunglasses to be snug against your face. If they?re too close to your cheeks, they?ll fog up when you get hot and sweaty. You don?t need the sunglasses with the leather pieces at the temple. Just get some dorky aviator-type glasses. Something with a little side protection. The sunglasses I wear on the trail are "triathlete" sunglasses I found at Target for about $15.
yogi
www.pcthandbook.com
 


Ben Racine <bjr214@psu.edu> wrote:
I have both glasses and contacts. I hate wearing my glasses for
exercise because I always manage to fog them up. being right in my face
and all. Further, they don't accept clip-on sunglasses or anything like
that. So, I'm thinking of using contacts and contacts only on my (most
likely) 2006 hike. I haven't ever taken contacts out on the trail
before. so I am wondering if anybody has any comments regarding whether
or not they've given themselves an eye infection, left their contacts in
for many many days, or what? 



Also I can't put them in without a mirror. so the solution and a
tiny-mirror add to the weight. Any smart ideas?

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