Contacts or Glasses?

“Curious as to what you blind folks (like me) do on the trail. I like contacts 'cause I can then wear sunglasses, but then I need solutions, glasses case, etc. Glasses are nice 'cause you don't need anything, but lack the shade. What do you do?”

“Why don't you get those flip shades that attach to your glasses?”

“I'm near sided so I only need my glasses for distanses, and my far vision isn't bad just below average. So I'm usaly ok with no glasses for a weekend, so I rock the Okley's.”

“Glasses slide down your nose, trap bugs, fog up, and are lousy in rain. I love contacts! They're worth the minimal weight and inconvenience.”

“I only use glasses to read with so they stay at home when I hit the trail.”

“Sidi, what sunshine said, and I had a pair of flip sunglasses that scratched up my lenses.”

“I use the one-day-throw-away contacts. No need for solution. Very comfortable and easy to pack. They just come in a little disposable packet.
I highly recommend getting some for packing, even if you don't use them every day.
Before your next trip stop by a glass/contact store and ask to try them. They let you start with a few days worth of free samples just for trying them out.”

“Flip shades and one of those sports things to keep my glasses from slipping off my nose. I have very lightweight glasses and normally don't even think about them.”

“I've only had glasses for about two years, haven't tried contacts yet. I don't have to wear them all the time, but it seems like I'm wearing them more and more”

“Bifocals complicate the issue. Didn't enjoy contacts in the past, and I don't want to now have one eye for each distance as I've been told I'd need with contacts now. Just remember the spare pair and the strap to keep them on your head (though wraparound temples are the first line of defense). I found some clip-ons that don't scratch, but I wish I could wear regular sunglasses.”

“Talk about being depressed...just went to the eye doctor this weekend and have to get trifocals. Can;t see far, now having trouble seeing the numbers I work with everyday as well as the computer screen....hmmm...could it be because of the time I spend on TT????
Bigfoot's stories just have to get shorter!”

“I only use them to read, so they stay at home...for now. My arms seem to be getting shorter, so I suppose I'll have to start bringing them to read maps soon.”

“I keep switching back and forth. I'm blind enough that I need a back up, since glasses and lenses can break and somedays my eyes just don't want lenses.

Constacts can be wonderful since they don't fog, get bathed in sweat. Daily lenses sound like a good idea, I guess there iswn't that much trash to carry.”

“I carry a hard glasses case and switch between my perscription sunglasses and regular glasses as needed. Pain in the backside, but so are contacts. Going without was an option long ago, but no longer.”

“Fog or rain (humidity in general) renders my glasses useless, however I still prefer them over contacts. This is because my hands are never clean enough when on the trail to take them out, clean and store them overnight, them put them back in in the morning. It's too much of a hassle for me to do all the cleansing that is necessary. And no matter how sanitary my hands may be, grit and dirt still seem to prevail.”

“I find that you can get away with the extended wear contacts from Alcon for up to 7 or 8 days without removing them. Just squirt some solution in in the morning and go.

These contacts are designed to be worn for a week at a time between cleanings, but I use them as daily wear when not BPing.”

“Contacts and sun glasses for the daytime. Glasses for evenings and night. The small bottle of solution doesn't weigh enough to worry about. But I don't have the handle cut off my toothbrush either.”

“I second what Chief said.”

“just get four week disposable lenses. You can sleep in them on the trail. It does make them not last as long though.”

“Ditto chief.”

“If I could sleep in my contacts, that would be the answer, but I can't. I tried disposable contacts once, but they bugged the hell out of my eyes. I have to stick to my daily wears - when I wear them.”

“Glasses always used to work for me on the trail and a brimmed cap for sun protection.

I've recently gotten Lasik eye surgery and gotten rid of the glasses though. I *love* it. Ran me about $1700 all told and I'd do it again (even with the minor (scary) complication that I had).

Now I've got to find a good pair of sunglasses to go hiking with.”

“Contacts always! I will sleep in them unless I've played in the fire (smoke). Carry an extra pair of daily wear and don't worry.”

“I wear glasses, I have a magnetic sunglass clip that came with them (we have a good vision plan at work so very expensive glasses become cheap)... I've worn contacts but I had a scary experience on the freeway where my eyes hurt so bad they clamped shut and I couldn't keep them open... bye bye contacts... contemplating surgery however”

“I need glasses to find my glasses!

I wear glasses and clip-ons that don't flip-up. Optomotrists (sp?) sell them in many sizes and shapes that clip on to the rim of your glasses. So it's like prescription sun glasses with out the added expense. Kinda like donman's magnetic, but they fit many different brands and shapes”

“Carry a good contact lenses case, and get a small squirt bottle for saline solution. You can also use a rewetting drops bottle (the top will come off of these) to store saline solution. I have to take my disposables out everyday. I can't seem to sleep in mine for some reason.”

“Like Snail'space, I have Alcons. They are rigid, gas permeable and can be worn for several days with drops. I have always taken mine out at night, however. I climb into my sleeping, turn on my headlamp, remove them and put them into their case - the case stays in my bag.

I have always been able to wash my hands before going to bed, both summer and winter and have never had any problem that Ihad when I wore glasses - no fogging, no blindness in the rain, no falling off into the snow (or down the face of the cliff), etc. I don't need prescription sunglasses (important for mountaineering), but I now have to carry reading glasses to read maps - oh well....”

“I have worn glasses for 21 years now and 6 months ago I went ahead and tried contacs for the first time. I love them. What I have now are daily wear and I would definitly prefer the extended wear so that's probably what I'll go with next.”

“I use two pair. One are regular glasses and the others are perscription sun glasses. What a difference. I used to use the transition lens, but they would never get dark enough. It's a new world with my persciption sun glasses.”

“Glasses!

8)”

“I wore contacts for several years but my eyes dry out easily especially around smoke. I can only use the re-wetting drops so much before it gets to be too much. I really didn't like to take them out on the trail because I'm never really clean enough out there for my preference so I often brought glasses. Now I wear glasses all the time. It is a pain when you get to altitude and they fog up and it always rains on my trips. I do fear losing or breaking them, I’d have to crawl out.”

“I like contacts for day hiking. For longer trips, I use glasses.... or go blind. Glasses fog up and get all sweaty... but dedaling with solutions and cases is too much of a bother. 'sides, I'm not good at putting in lenses without a mirror.”

“Disposable lenses is the only way to go. They get nasty--just chunk them in the fire.”

“I never needed glasses til "40". They gave me tri-focals, which made me dizzy. So for the next few years I wore them only when I needed it. Since my last birthday, I haven't been able to see anything up close without glasses. So I have to carry them with me now. I don't carry a purse, so at restaurants I have to borrow glasses, or someone has to tell me what's on the menu.

SnowDude had Lasik surgery a year before we did the JMT and loves it.

A friend took her contacts out and put them in her sleeping bag. It fell out and her contacts froze. She had to wait for them to thaw out before skiing.

Another friend accidently got DEET on his contacts, and a few days later had to go to ER. He went outside to check the surf, and couldn't see.

I'm not sure if I could stick something in my eyes, but at the rate my eyesight is going, I might have to try it.”

“Snow Nymph
09:32:56 AM
03/22/02





Sheut you don't look a day over 25. I'm shocked that you would say that about yourself. Making up stories like that”

“Foggy lenses???? Here is a little trick, I don't know if it works but I heard the other day that 'rubber alcohol' will help prevent fogging. This guy was talking about using it on his windshield so I was thinking it might help with glasses. Its worth a try.”

“Glasses are so much easier to negotiate when hiking, for reasons others have stated. And I too can attest to the wetout nature caused by perspiring during humid days...you can see just as fuzzy with your glasses off as you can with them on.

I'd like to try the alcohol trick, but I wonder how the alcohol would affect lens coatings. I got this anti-fog lens cleaning solution from an optomatrist, and I can't say I'm too impressed with the stuff. Makes me wonder if anything will work. Regardless, it's better than fiddling with contacts, with semi-dirth fingers and sticking those babies in yer eyes without a mirror.”

“okay, by my own stupidity...whatever. last night when we were making up the bed, my glasses got lost under the pillows, and the frame got bent. of course, i tried to bend it back into shape, and they snapped in half! i didn't have any backup, so i'm just waiting with bated breath for the contacts i ordered to get here tomorrow. i hate wearing contacts! i loooove my glasses! i don't think i'd ever find any i like as much as these. has this ever happened to anyone? was it possible to fix the frames? they're just regular wire...”

“Just wrap the break with a thick wad of tape. It won't look too nerdy.”

“hehe! i would've done it if it were at all possible, i don't think i could get much nerdier anyway ;-) i'm soooo tired of squinting! well, the fixing-them idea is out the window, i think they'd just break again. oh well!”

“I use alcohol on my glasses every day to clean them. Alcohol and a lint free lens rag. Keep them from getting scratched up and protects the coatings.
I doubt the alcohol will do anything to prevent fogging except remove the oils and dust that the fog forms on.
When I use to scuba dive, we just spat in our mask and rubbed it around to keep them from fogging. It works just as good as any defogger you can buy.”

“Ok lyra, first you take a Pop Tarts box and some duct tape......8>)”

“hahahaha!! i was worried about not being able to recognize people i knew today, but i think in that scenario, i'd be worried about being recognized! ;-)”

“One of the guys on our trip had to make sunglasses out of an oatmeal box once to prevent snow blindness. he cut slits in it and wrapped it around his head with duct tape. We're just too cool here!

I went high-tech a couple years ago and got "lasered". You should consider that some day!”

“oh yeah? don't you eventually have to get reading glasses anyway when you're lasered? but i guess the money and annoyance saved in the meantime could be worth it... my boss is having it done this week, the first person i've known to have it done.”

“They corrected mine to better than 20/20 and I haven't had any problems reading either (just writing). It varies individually, but you might need reading glasses later in life. But then, everybody does! It's worth it for the long distance sight. 30 seconds per eye! ZZZAPPP!”