Looking for rich and immersive experiences to brighten up your next holiday? Try adventure travel!
Exploring hidden gems off the beaten path and partaking in exciting activities along the way is excellent for discovering more about the destinations you visit, something that may be appreciated by the 90% of travellers who prioritise the kinds of experiences they can have when choosing where to go on holiday. In fact, that’s why Skift believes adventure tourism continues to surge in popularity, even resulting in a new kind of traveller: the Explorer.
To fully enjoy what adventure travel has to offer, though, you’ll want to stay safe and healthy on your trip. Our tips on staying healthy while travelling note that’s easily done as long as you stay hydrated, pack a first aid kit, and maintain good hygiene while you’re away from home. If you’re gunning for adventure travel experiences, though, you’ll want to pay special attention to protecting your eyes.
According to a 2023 study published in the Journal of Travel Medicine, overseas travel is associated with major ocular risks—more so if you’re trying adventure travel. Due to the nature of activities done on this kind of holiday, your eyes are more vulnerable to tears, scratches, infections, and more, which is why you may want to take precautions to keep them safe. Here are a few things you can try:
Key Takeaways
- Adventure travel offers a thrilling way to explore new destinations and discover unique experiences. However, to ensure your trip is both enjoyable and safe, it’s crucial to take care of your health, especially your eyes
- By packing daily contact lenses, investing in quality sports sunglasses, and keeping eye drops on hand, you can protect your eyes from the various risks associated with adventure activities
Pack daily contact lenses

If you require vision correction, contact lenses may seem like the perfect match for adventure travel. You don’t need to worry about water or fog clouding up your glasses if you’re rafting, or cumbersome frames falling off or getting in the way of wearing helmets while mountain biking. However, they aren’t actually suitable for most adventure travel activities.
If your lenses come into contact with water, microbes can more easily enter and infect your eyes. Infections can also occur if dirt and debris fly into your eyes during fast-paced activities.
To reduce the risk of that happening, consider buying daily contact lenses before your next trip. Since they’re single-use, they can lower your chances of experiencing infections and injuries due to repeatedly wearing contact lenses that get dirty during your adventure travel activities.
Brands like Acuvue and DAILIES TOTAL1 sell them in packs that can last up to 90 days, so you can easily get enough dailies to last your entire holiday.
Invest in sports sunglasses

Though sunglasses are crucial for protecting your eyes from the sun no matter the kind of holiday—after all, overexposure to its UV rays can damage your eyes in the long run—they’ll be even more essential for your adventure travels.
Aside from shielding you from dust and debris that can scratch your eyes and cause infections even if you don’t wear contacts, they’ll protect you from glare. When the sun’s rays reflect off surfaces like snow and water, they can overwhelm your eyes with glare and potentially cause photokeratitis (snow blindness), which can cause temporary vision loss for a few days.
That said, you’ll want to invest in sports sunglasses that can protect you from all those things. These often use wraparound designs that protect more of the eye area from wind and foreign objects. More importantly, they’re also often polarised sunglasses that use specialised lens coatings to shield you from excess glare.
Brands like Oakley even offer such sunnies in different designs catered to specific sports like skiing, cycling, and surfing, making it even easier for you to get sports eyewear that will perfectly suit the activities on your adventure travel itinerary.
Keep eye drops on hand

Some adventure travel activities can make your eyes vulnerable to specific types of injuries. Hiking in hot conditions, for example, can dry out your eyelids. They can then scratch your eyes when you blink, leading to abrasions and increasing your risk of infections.
You’ll also want to be particularly cautious if you’re planning to do any bungee jumping. The drastic changes in height you’ll make can cause a sharp rise in your eyes’ blood pressure. That can lead to temporary vision loss and even potentially damage your retinas in the long run.
To avoid these issues, keep eye drops on hand that are specifically suited to the adventure travel activities you’re planning to try. For example, you can buy moisturising eye drops to combat dry eyes. Those like REFRESH® DIGITAL have a thicker, gel-like consistency designed to lubricate all three layers of your eyes’ tear film.
You can also try timolol eye drops, which work to decrease the amount of fluid in your eyes. That can help regulate blood pressure and prevent adverse outcomes like temporary vision loss.
Final Word
In conclusion, adventure travel offers a thrilling way to explore new destinations and discover unique experiences. However, to ensure your trip is both enjoyable and safe, it’s crucial to take care of your health, especially your eyes.
By packing daily contact lenses, investing in quality sports sunglasses, and keeping eye drops on hand, you can protect your eyes from the various risks associated with adventure activities. With these precautions in place, you can fully immerse yourself in the wonders of adventure travel, creating unforgettable memories while safeguarding your well-being. So, gear up, stay safe, and embark on your next adventure with confidence!