Besides your purse, handbag, or wallet, your glasses is the most important item you carry with you on a trip. You depend on it for clear vision, especially if you have a high prescription level. If it gets lost or damaged, then you can cross off sight seeing from your itinerary.
The first challenge is getting through the plane ride to your destination. Air travel can be hard on both your eyes and your Nike prescription glasses because you’re in a confined area that’s packed with people with bright sunlight coming in the windows. But getting through it isn’t that difficult if you plan ahead and bring the right items. Here are five tips:
Bring Two Pairs of Glasses
It’s always good to have a backup pair just in case something happens. What could that be? Your glasses could drop on the floor while people are walking in the aisle and someone steps on it, or you might take it off and a distraction could cause you to leave it on the plane. The list of possible scenarios is endless. When people are in unfamiliar situations, they’re more apt to make mistakes. That second pair of glasses is your insurance.
Don’t Carry Your Second Pair in Your Checked Bag
While the first pair is on your person, the best place for the second pair is in your carry-on bag, not your checked bag. The reason is that your checked bag can get delayed, lost or stolen. Your glasses’ small size and importance are why the carry-on bag is the best place for it. If it’s a pair of prescription sunglasses, you will likely need it on the plane.
Use Hard Carrying Cases for Your Glasses
A hard carrying case protects your glasses from getting squashed. If it’s in your carry-on bag and someone jams their carry-on bag on top of yours in the overhead storage, then the hard carrying case will protect your glasses. It will also protect your glasses in the seat pocket should the passenger in front decide to lean back too hard.
Use a Neck Strap
Although a good fit should keep your glasses from slipping off, if you have active kids with you, anything can happen. The glasses might also slip off while sleeping or when deliberately wearing them higher up on your head. While vacationing, your glasses could fall into inconvenient places such as in a lake, off a cliff, etc. A neck strap guarantees your glasses never get away from you.
Ultra violet light is harmful to the eyes, and the risk of developing a serious eye condition later in life increases with cumulative exposure. The intensity of UV light increases with altitude because there is less atmosphere to absorb or block it. When you’re in an airplane at 30,000 feet, the UV levels are very intense. Fortunately, the window next to you is small and you aren’t always looking out of it.
However, the windows don’t block UVA rays, and when enjoying the view, it’s a good idea that your prescription glasses block out ultraviolet light. Your exposure to UV doesn’t end with your plane trip of course, which is another reason for the protection.
Your second pair should be sunglasses with both UV protection and sufficient tint to provide comfort in bright sunshine. Bright sunshine is persistent when flying at altitude above the clouds. You have the choice of either picking a single tint for all lighting conditions or getting photochromic lenses that change their tint depending on the level of sunlight brightness. This means they automatically get darker in bright sunshine and become lighter when the light gets dimmer.
The above suggestions also work well after landing at your destination. Two pairs of prescription glasses with one being sunglasses, hard carrying cases, a neck strap, and protection from UV light will all serve you well when you’re indoors and outdoors. If you have questions about getting the right Nike prescription glasses or about caring for them, please contact us.