Summer Travel and Dry Eyes
Many take advantage of their vacation time in the summer. Some choose to go somewhere to relax while others journey to gain new experiences, and many make treks to see family and friends. Whatever the reason for the trip it’s important to remember to take care of yourself so you can make the most of your vacation.
At Eye Eco we always focus on the eyes, and summer travel is no exception. No one wants to experience dry eyes while on vacation. It can cause discomfort and may prevent you from full enjoyment of all the activities you have planned. Unfortunately, summer travel can be a recipe for dry eyes. Ultra-dry airplane cabins, different sleep conditions, new climates and a change in environment can all contribute to dry eyes and a less enjoyable vacation.
Flying
Air cabins are no friend to our eyes. An average air cabin at cruising altitude has a low 5% relative humidity. At that low humidity it’s hard for our eyes to keep the moisture up.
Keeping entertained on a flight by reading a book or watching a movie on a close screen can also be a contributor. Studies have found that when we read or focus our attention on digital screens we blink less which disrupts the process our eyes go through to stay lubricated and comfortable.
Sleeping on flights can also lead to dry eyes. While we sleep our eyes don’t produce much of the tears that keep our eyes comfortable. Combine that with the ultra-dry environment in the cabin and it’s no wonder an overnight flight is considered a Red Eye.
New Environment
Often, when traveling, we are going somewhere new and doing things that are different from our standard routine. Eyes are sensitive and that new environment can have an impact. Maybe you are going to a place that is more dry than your eyes are used to. Or, if there are different allergens that affect your eyes. Or maybe you are going to spend a lot more time outside in the bright sunshine than you typically do. All of these can contribute to dry eyes and can become a burden on your vacation.
Sleep
Traveling is fun. But, if you’re like me, there is no better place to sleep than in your bed. On vacation you don’t have that luxury. For many, sleeping somewhere new can be difficult. It can be hard to fall asleep and stay asleep if the bed is too hard, or too soft, or too small, or it’s in a room with too much light, or not enough circulation, or too much air blowing in your face, or it’s too dry, or to hot, or too humid. A lot of factors go into making us feel comfortable enough to sleep well.
Lack of sleep often leads to dry tired eyes.
What to do?
A lot of planning goes into a vacation. And a little more planning can go a long way in preventing dry eyes.
Stay Hydrated
Especially if you are flying somewhere or on days when you have a lot planned, remember to drink plenty of water, and try to do so before your eyes start to feel dry.
Keep a hydrating mist on hand to provide relief in the moment. Eye Eco’s hydrating facial mist can provide a hydrating spritz that help keep eyes from feeling dry. At 2 fluid ounces the bottle is small enough to go through airport security. Check out Hydrating Facial Mists.
Sarah Wellington tried our Soothing Eye Mist on a flight and left this review on Amazon:
“I was surprised that they gave me some relief from severely dry eyes for a short period of time. I used them on a very long airplane ride and they helped. I also use them when I don’t have time to deal with putting heavy duty eye drops in.”
Sleep Mask
Sleeping in new places or trying to sleep on a flight when it’s still light outside can be difficult. A sleep mask may help you sleep while the lights are on or while the sun is out.
We recommend the Eye Eco Onyix mask. It’s soft, flexible and doesn’t take up much space. It gently shelters eyes from drafts and low humidity environments. While you sleep or rest, the goggles fog up, creating a moisture rich environment perfect for relieving dry eyes.
Moist-Heat Therapy
Scientifically proven to relieve dry eyes it’s a great idea to have a treatment on hand in case your eyes are suffering. We recommend tranquileyes® Basics with Instants.
This kit includes tranquileyes® goggles, which are padded with memory foam to create a comfortable seal around the eyes; Instants gel packs, once activated they heat to the ideal temperature for dry eye relief (between 102 and 108 degrees); and sponge pads. Moisten the pads, activate the Instants easily in your hands, insert the Instants and pads into the goggles and put them on for a treatment lasting up to 18 minutes.
At the regular size, tranquileyes® goggles also work well as a sleep mask so they can pull double duty on your trip. Check out tranquileyes® Basic with Instants.
Eye Eco
Give yourself the best opportunity to enjoy your vacation and do a little planning for your eyes. Eye Eco is dedicated to providing easy-to-use treatments for your eyes whether you are at home or on-the-go. Be kind to your eyes with our soothing eye mists, Onyix hydrating sleep mask, or with our tranquileyes® Basic with Instants moist-heat therapy set:
Get your EYE ECO HYDRATING FACIAL MIST, Click Here.
Enjoy your trip!
