1. Look after your eyes whilst flying
First and foremost, when it comes to preventing dry eyes, you should make sure that you are drinking plenty of fresh, plain water. If you are not drinking enough water then your body will become dehydrated and won’t be able to produce the tears required for keeping your eyes clean and lubricated.
Staying hydrated is especially important in the summer time or if you are traveling to hotter climates, where you are more likely to lose vital liquids through sweat. What’s more, when traveling by plane, your eyes are even more likely to become dry due to low humidity and harsh air-conditioning which are all too familiar when it comes to flying.
Take an empty water bottle with you; a lot of airports have water fountains where you can fill up your water bottle once you get through security. If you can’t find any of these, there will most likely be plenty of restaurants or cafes that would be happy to fill up your bottle for you.
I would also recommend bringing an eye mask with you if you are traveling further afield and are spending several hours on a commercial flight. This should help to protect your eyes from the recycled air circulating around the cabin.
2. Protect your eyes from the sun
When it comes to sunburn and tanning, your first thought might not your eye health. But, did you know that you can easily burn the thin, sensitive skin under and around your eyes – and that this can lead to dryness and irritation? If you are using sun cream on your face, make sure to opt for something gentle and natural so it doesn’t irritate your skin or eyes.
And, of course, we can’t forget sunglasses! Wearing sunglasses is so important when you’re exposed to bright sunlight as the UV rays can cause damage to various parts of your eyes. Plus, spending a lot of time in bright light can cause you to strain your eyes and lead to headaches and exacerbate dry eyes.
Prescription sunglasses can be particularly helpful if you suffer from dry eyes and find that wearing contact lenses is making things worse. Most opticians will offer prescription sunglasses.
3. Get enough sleep
Although it can be difficult to sleep while experiencing jet lag, or whilst traveling on overnight planes, trains and buses, it’s important that you try to get as much rest as you can to keep your eyes happy. Poor or insufficient sleep can have an influence on the circulation of fluids around your body, which means the cleaning and lubrication of your eyes can suffer if you’re not getting enough kip!
If you are struggling to sleep while traveling, Dormeasan can be a useful remedy. It is made from fresh extracts of Valerian and Hops, which can be especially useful if stressful travel plans are contributing to your sleepless nights.
4. Keep your hotel room comfortable
Harking back to my point about lack of sleep, it’s important to keep your hotel room comfortable as it can be difficult to sleep in high temperatures. This is because, as your body prepares for sleep, it cools down. However, if your hotel room is humid and stuffy, this can feel like an impossible task!
So, make sure to keep your hotel room at a comfortable temperature. This means not too hot, but not too cold either. Just like when flying, harsh air-conditioning will dry out the air in the room and can cause or exacerbate dry and irritated eyes. Try not to leave the air-conditioning on overnight and, where possible, opt to open windows or use a fan instead of blasting the air-con.
5. Be prepared to fight allergies
Finally, if you suffer from allergies and hayfever during the summertime, it’s important to always be prepared. A reaction to pollen can cause a flare-up of irritation and dryness which can be a real drag when you’re trying to enjoy your travels.
What’s more, when visiting different climates or locations, it is not uncommon to come into contact with unfamiliar allergens. So, although your hayfever symptoms might be mild at home, you could find yourself suffering quite dramatically when visiting unfamiliar territory.
Pollinosan is a natural hayfever remedy, without the drowsiness so often associated with hayfever or allergy medication. This can help to calm the over-enthusiasm of your immune system which is mistaking harmless pollen for dangerous allergens. Paired with our Extra Moisturising Eye Drops, this is the perfect remedy to take on your travels so you can be prepared to fight allergies and dry eyes wherever they might pop up.
Looking for help to ease those dry, tired and irritated eyes?
