How to keep contact lenses from freezing during backpacking in cold temps?
My fiance and I are planning our first backpacking trip together. I am an experienced backpacker, so I can handle most questions he has and I already have most of the gear that we'll need. However, he wears contacts and is worried about losing contacts and keeping his contacts from freezing. He is very near sighted and has astigmatism. I have never worn contacts or glasses so I'm not sure how to deal with this.
Issues:
+Our backpacking trip must occur in spring or fall due to his job, and will probably occur in places where snow and cold temps are possible if not likely. I read that contact solution freezes at 28 °F (-2°C). I have been out spring backpacking in single-digit temps °F (-18–-12°C).
+His glasses no longer fit his prescription.
+We're a little broke, so buying new glasses ($400! per pair!) or a different type of contact lens is not really doable for us.
+Leaving contacts in overnight is something he will not do.
To handle the losing contacts issue, I am planning on having him bring at least 2 spare pairs of contact lenses (and if he loses 2 contacts, we'll bail). To handle cleanliness issues, I have ordered hand wipes and we'll bring at least two travel bottles of contact solution. So my question is how to keep contacts in the contact case from freezing in cold temps? (Also, any contact-wearing backpackers have any additional tips for backpacking with contacts?)
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HTH all of y'all .. I've learned it all the hard way.
To address a few of the points:
- Your fiance is ABSOLUTELY correct to not wear them overnight, can get eye pits, etc. not fun. painful, no vision. been there done that, refuse to do again.
- For the prescription it sounds like I'm in about the same boat. even with insurance i paid $300 for new glasses recently. TAKE THE GLASSES as a fail safe. the contacts are more do-able, with some preparation.
- The nalgene purified water will work .. to a point. it isn't the same salinity as what is in your eyes, so it feels off, and will be irritating to his eyes. not so great for enjoying the natural beauty of rugged land.
- Yes contacts can be had for relatively inexpensive compared to glasses, but still require a recent prescription. And once you're in severe astigmatism territory, it doesn't save THAT much. Not everyone has YOUR prescription, some folks are worse off (and some are better), but I guarantee the farther the prescription is from 20/20 .. the MORE it costs. Having the same trait is not equal to having it in the same severity.
Get some hand heaters, like for gloves, or shoes .. they should last 4-6 hours .. grab the 8hr if you can find them .. and they only cost a few dollars. Those will keep the solution warm enough to not freeze for the time period those temps would occur. They can also be used to melt out ice should it form pretty quickly (they get TOASTY hot).
If you can't find those, as listed above, put the storage case in your sleeping bag. To warm it up QUICK, best to use the heaters above, or use armpits. warmest place on the body outside of the groin. Regardless, when storing: INSULATE. find some thermal wrap (like the tinfoil lined stuff) or layer tinfoil and paper with felt or cloth (and repeat a few times) as an insulator, and wrap it all around the saline bottle, with the hand heater in between. The more wraps, the better insulation, the longer it lasts in colder temps. That takes care of the cleaning component. The bigger thing is the storage case that they sit in overnight. Would not want to try and chip them out of ice blocks in the case in the AM.. but if that happens wear glasses for a few hours until it warms up. same thing though, since that is usually smaller than the saline bottle (and if you're going for up to a week one of the small bottles (4-6 oz) is FINE. don't haul more than you need. You'rr talking about 5-10 drops to rinse when removing from storage and putting in the eyes. so call it 30 drops a day, allowing for some spillage. Once in the eyes, natural body temp will keep them from freezing. No worries there. I've skiid/hiked in sub zero with contacts in and they are WAAY better than glasses.
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I don't know where you live, but you can buy cheap glasses online and I'm sure a lot of the sites have international delivery. I too have astigmatism and I can get extended wear contact lenses (6 days) for under €30 (that's the price for 2 x 3 extended wear monthlies).
Try to put your contact lens solution in the freezer and check its temperature in regular intervals to see what temperature it freezes. It might not freeze in -18°C.
Also make sure that you bring non-scented anti-bacterial wipes (avoid baby wipes for contact lenses), so he can properly clean his hands before he puts his contact lenses in.
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Just sleep with the solution in your sleeping bag. Same with drinking water.
During the day you may need to carry it next to your body.
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