Hey everyone - I'm planning my around the world trip starting Feb/March 2008. I wear contacts (those daily disposable ones) and wondered if any of you other vagabonders also wear them and if you've had trouble with them going around the world. I am afraid of getting an eye invfection/super humid weather and don't really want to carry boxes and boxes of contacts around the world with me. I'm considering laser eye surgery, but don't particularly want to spend 5k on it while saving for the trip and I also have concerns about its saftey. What have others done while on your trips/before you left? Thanks!

No personal experience for ya but I traveled with a girlfriend for 10 weeks through Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia (side note: way to much ground to cover in 10 weeks) and she brought some contacts that could be reused for a few weeks or so. They were packaged small enough that it was not a burden for her to carry around.

I have been a contact lens wearer for many years now. I have been on many trips through many different areas. I have never had an issue with the infection from wearing them for extended periods. I would not carry around dailies but rather the 2 week disposables. I would pick them up as I go as well, 2 boxes (6 pairs) at a time.

Contacts become the biggest pain in the ass when you start spending time camping or hiking. They proved to be my bane while in the bush. I still found the benefit of contacts and sunglasses to outweigh wearing glasses all the time, even in these situations.

As I depart for my next adventure in 2 weeks I am stopping in a bigger city on the way and getting laser eye surgery because of the hassle of traveling with contacts and glasses.

ok, time to fess up - I carried 10 months worth of daily disposable contacts RTW! Funny, I had conveniently forgot this fact until I saw this thread. My eyes are VERY sensitive and I have a habit of losing them frequently, so daily disposables work the best for me. Yes, they took up some bulk in my pack but they weigh virtually nothing and diminish rapidly so they were really not as annoying as I thought they would be. However, I agree with the 2 week disposable advice. If you can wear them, go for it.

As for humidity, etc. I spent most of my time in humid places and had no problem whatsoever. I think the fact that you throw out the dailies with each use cuts down the probability of infections a little bit too.

I've worn contacts for years & have been to 5 continents and 27 countries. However, my husband & I are leaving on our RTW on 26Aug. and we are both getting lasik in 2 weeks. We have been wanting to do it for some time and have well over a dozen friends who have had it done and have been raving about it.
We did some research and are getting it done where some friends did for $2400 pp.
If you choose to stay with contacts I think you'll be fine almost everywhere except if you do a camping safari or similiar in Africa. Then the dust & glare will drive you crazy and you'll end up in your glasses.

You may find this thread to be useful.

I have Focus Monthly disposable Day and Night contacts. They are amazing. They are monthly disposables, so you don't have to carry a ton of them. You can sleep with them in (yes, seriously: doctor's orders.) I usually manage to get 2 months out of a pair. Highly recommended!

Wearing contacts in Florida now (where humidity was invented) and I'm fine. They're no more cumbersome than glasses. Plenty of folks wearing contacts currently rucking through the jungle or walking point in Iraq. By and large, you should be fine.

Lasik is a good option, but it depends on what your adventure travel plans are. I do a lot of hiking in the dark, and by all reports lasik screws with your night vision. I know of at least two friends who regret having it done for just that reason. That said, if you'll be base jumping and spelunking in the light of day, you should be fine.

I wear contacts. My rtw will be the first long trip that I take them on. I buy monthlies and tend to use them until I loose them or they break. I've never had any eye problems, well, except for being blind. I'm planning on bringing about 1.5 years supply and wearing them as long as I can. I think that I might be more prone to loosing them than I am at home. I keep thinking that it would be more expensive more of a pain to buy them as I go than to bring them along.

I used to wear contacts, though not disposable ones. Never really had a problem traveling with them just take you glasses for those times where your contacts would be a pain in the ass.

Still I've also had lasik and do not regret it at all. I'd have it done all over again if I had to and while it is expensive... well the cost was worth it as far as I am concerned. Waking up that first morning and being able to see not just my room or the clock on the wall but to stand on the balcony and look over the river to the city ... well that is a morning I will never forget, or regret.

The decision is yours either way

I used to wear daily contacts for years. For me, they were always a headache. Especially when surfing,swimmming, or when it was really windy and they would get dry.

I got the lasik done a little over a year ago mainly with the idea that I would be traveling in the not so distant future and did not want to deal with contacts or having to worry about getting new ones when I ran out.

I have had no issues and it was one of the best things I have done. I hated wearing contacts and taking them out (Etc.). I still sometimes before bed think for a second that I am going to have to take out my contacts.

I don't think it was too expensive, and was quick. But then again that money could be used for a whole extra month or two on the road.

Has anyone ever had Lasik done in Mexico? I found this place in TJ http://www.mendezlasikinstitute.com/eng/index.html for $1200 U.S. for both eyes! Thats about 50% the cost of the states. Wonder if it's safe?

I would be afraid to get it done in Mexico....it is your eyesight - probably worth an extra 1-2k to get it done properly (and the ability to sue if it is not done properly)

I had lasik done in Canada, at the place that's been doing it the longest in North America. So, a pretty trusty place. Prices depend on just how bad your eyes are, but mine are AWFUL (-6.75) and if I had had standard Lasik, it would've been $1400 for both eyes. With prices like that, I'd recommend Canada over Mexico anyday. But, my eyes are so bad, I had to have Zyoptix Lasik, so it cost me $2580 instead. But still, totally worth it. I went to Lasik MD Vision. I highly recommend it. And it's SO much easier than contacts, as traveling with them is such a pain. And night vision isn't a problem at all - you see halos for your first month+, but then they start to go away - it's great, seriously.

Lasik MD Vision eh? What city in Canada?

I wonder though why we automatically assume anything done in Mexico is second rate? I mean they still have a middle class there with people who have lasik done. Do you really think it's that bad there? How would they stay in business if they're butchering peoples eyes? I dunno I would rather have it done in the U.S. or Canada myself I'm just curious. Been trying to find a website with lasik forums to see if anyones had it done there but haven't had any luck so far.

I got the wavefront lasik with intralase procedure done here in ireland. It cost 4560 euro initially - I can claim back 2000 in tax. My prescription was pretty bad -5.25 in both eyes.

I totally recommend the procedure - its uncomfortable and I am still getting halos at night (+ 2 months).
I am going to india in october as part of my 2 year rtw trip and the thought of glasses and contacts in all sorts of different conditions didn't appeal at all. It hit my savings massively as you can imagine but I reckon it'll be worth it in the long run.