You've packed the suncream, sorted your travel insurance, and remembered the adaptor plug. But have you thought about protecting your eyes on holiday?
For most people, eye care is the last thing on the packing list. Yet summer holidays present a unique combination of risks that can seriously affect your vision and eye comfort. From intense UV radiation abroad to chlorinated swimming pools and the challenges of contact lens wear in the heat, your eyes face more stress on holiday than at any other time of year.
A little preparation goes a long way towards keeping your vision clear and your eyes healthy throughout your trip.
UV Abroad: Stronger Than You Think
Most UK holidaymakers head to sunnier destinations where UV levels are significantly higher than at home. UV radiation increases closer to the equator, at higher altitudes, and is more intense during summer months. If you're heading to Southern Europe, the Canary Islands, or further afield, the UV index can be two to three times higher than a typical British summer day.
UV damage to your eyes is cumulative and permanent. A week of unprotected sun exposure on holiday adds meaningfully to your lifetime UV dose, increasing your long-term risk of cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, and pterygium (a fleshy growth on the surface of the eye).
Holiday UV Hotspots
- Beaches: Sand reflects 15–25% of UV radiation, exposing your eyes from below as well as above.
- Swimming pools: Water reflects UV and can intensify exposure.
- Mountain resorts: UV levels increase by around 10% for every 1,000 metres of altitude.
- Midday hours: UV peaks between 10am and 4pm, coinciding with prime holiday time.
What to Wear
Always pack sunglasses rated UV400 or offering 100% UVA and UVB protection. Wraparound styles are ideal as they block UV from the sides as well as directly in front. A wide-brimmed hat provides additional protection. Avoid relying on cheap sunglasses purchased as an afterthought. Without proper UV filtration, dark lenses can actually increase exposure by causing the pupils to dilate and allowing more harmful radiation into the eye.
Swimming: Pools, Sea and Your Eyes
Water and eyes are a tricky combination, and holiday swimming presents several risks worth knowing about — more so in contact lens wearers.
Swimming Pools and Chlorine
Chlorine is added to pools to kill bacteria, but it also irritates the surface of the eye, stripping away the tear film and causing redness, stinging and blurred vision. Holiday pools are often more heavily chlorinated than UK leisure centres, particularly in warmer climates where bacteria multiply more rapidly. While the discomfort is usually temporary, repeated exposure throughout a holiday can leave your eyes persistently dry and irritated.
Sea Water
Salt water is generally gentler on the eyes than chlorine, but it can still disrupt the tear film and introduce bacteria and other microorganisms. Water quality can vary significantly between destinations, so always check local water quality advice before swimming.
Protecting Your Eyes When Swimming
- Wear well-fitted swimming goggles whenever possible
- Rinse your eyes with clean fresh water after swimming
- Use preservative-free lubricating eye drops if your eyes feel dry or irritated
- Avoid rubbing your eyes after swimming
Contact Lenses on Holiday: Proceed with Caution
If you wear contact lenses, holidays require extra planning. Heat, sun, sand and water create a challenging environment for lens wearers, and the consequences of poor lens hygiene can be serious.
Never Swim in Contact Lenses
This is non-negotiable. Swimming in contact lenses — whether in pools, the sea, hot tubs or lakes — carries a significant risk of Acanthamoeba keratitis, a rare but potentially devastating infection caused by a microscopic organism commonly found in water. The infection can be extremely painful, difficult to treat and, in severe cases, may result in permanent sight loss. Always remove contact lenses before entering the water and consider prescription swimming goggles if you require vision correction while swimming.
The Hidden Risk Many Contact Lens Wearers Never Hear About
Many contact lens wearers are surprised to learn that contact lens wear carries a higher long-term risk of serious sight-threatening corneal infection than laser eye surgery.
Research has shown that:
- Daily wear contact lens users have approximately a four times greater risk per year of developing a serious sight-threatening corneal infection than a patient who has undergone LASIK surgery
- Extended wear (overnight) contact lens users have approximately a twenty times greater risk per year of wear compared with LASIK surgery
To put this into perspective, a patient who sleeps in their contact lenses over a five-year period may accumulate a risk exposure that is approximately 100 times greater than that associated with undergoing LASIK surgery. Many people assume that continuing with contact lenses is the lower-risk option because it avoids surgery. However, when assessed over years or decades of wear, contact lenses expose the eye to an ongoing risk of infection every day they are worn. LASIK, by comparison, is a one-off procedure.
This becomes particularly relevant on holiday, when swimming, increased water exposure, hot climates, air conditioning, dust, sand and occasional lapses in lens hygiene can further increase the likelihood of complications.
Heat and Lens Discomfort
Hot weather, sunshine and air conditioning can all dry out your eyes more quickly, making contact lenses increasingly uncomfortable throughout the day. Carry preservative-free rewetting drops, reduce lens wearing time where possible and always have an up-to-date pair of glasses available as a backup.
Packing Essentials for Lens Wearers
- Sufficient contact lenses for your trip, plus extras
- Contact lens solution
- A spare contact lens case
- Preservative-free rewetting drops
- A current pair of glasses
Of course, all of this — bar your nice designer sunglasses — could be a thing of the past if you elect to have vision correction surgery.
Eye Infections Abroad: Prevention and Response
Eye infections are more common on holiday due to heat, dust, unfamiliar environments and occasional lapses in hygiene.
Prevention
- Wash your hands thoroughly before touching your eyes or handling contact lenses
- Never share towels, eye drops or eye makeup
- Avoid rubbing your eyes
- Remove contact lenses before sleeping, even if you are tired after a long day
If You Develop an Eye Infection
Remove your contact lenses immediately and do not wear them again until advised by a healthcare professional. Seek medical attention promptly. Most holiday destinations have pharmacies that can advise on minor eye conditions, but significant pain, reduced vision, light sensitivity or swelling should always be treated as urgent. Your travel insurance should include emergency medical cover for eye-related problems.
Before You Travel: Essential Preparation
Check Your Prescription Is Current
If it has been more than two years since your last eye examination, book an eye test before travelling. An outdated prescription can cause unnecessary eyestrain, headaches and visual discomfort, particularly in bright environments and unfamiliar surroundings.
Pack an Eye Care Kit
Consider including:
- Prescription sunglasses or UV-protective eyewear
- Preservative-free lubricating eye drops
- Swimming goggles
- A copy of your spectacle or contact lens prescription
- Any regular eye medication you use
Check Your Travel Insurance
Most comprehensive travel insurance policies cover emergency eye treatment. Confirm your level of cover before travelling and save emergency contact details on your phone.
The Holiday Case for Laser Eye Surgery
Many people tell us that holidays were the reason they finally explored laser eye surgery.
The discomfort of contact lenses in the heat, the inability to swim freely, the risk of losing a lens in the sea and the inconvenience of travelling with solutions and spare lenses all become much more noticeable when you are trying to relax. Beyond convenience, many patients are surprised to learn that long-term contact lens wear is not without risk. Daily wear contact lens users face a higher annual risk of serious sight-threatening corneal infection than LASIK patients, while overnight lens wearers face a substantially greater risk again.
Laser eye surgery offers freedom from glasses and contact lenses, meaning:
- No contact lens solutions or cases to pack
- No worries about swimming while wearing lenses
- No concerns about losing a lens during water sports
- No discomfort from lenses drying out in hot climates
- Reduced dependence on corrective eyewear when travelling
- The freedom to enjoy every aspect of your holiday with natural, clear vision
Many patients describe their first holiday after laser eye surgery as genuinely life-changing. Simply waking up and seeing clearly, heading straight to the beach or pool, and enjoying every moment without the hassle of glasses or contact lenses can transform the travel experience. If you are considering laser eye surgery, plan ahead. Most surgeons recommend avoiding swimming for two to four weeks after treatment, so scheduling surgery well before your holiday is advisable.
Enjoy Your Holiday with Clear, Comfortable Vision
Your holiday should be a time to relax and enjoy yourself, not to deal with sore, irritated, infected or uncomfortable eyes.
With a little preparation and awareness, the risks are easily managed. Pack proper UV-protective sunglasses, protect your eyes in the water, maintain excellent contact lens hygiene and stay hydrated. If you are tired of travelling with contact lenses and glasses, now may be the ideal time to explore vision correction surgery.
Optical Express is the number one provider of private-pay vision correction surgery in the UK and Ireland and has led the field since 2005. Our surgeons have helped hundreds of thousands of patients achieve freedom from glasses and contact lenses. In November 2025, the Optical Express Hospital in Glasgow was inspected by Healthcare Improvement Scotland and awarded an Exceptional rating across all three inspection domains — the highest rating available, with no recommendations for improvement.
Whether you are planning a summer beach holiday, a winter ski trip or the holiday of a lifetime, vision correction surgery can help you enjoy every moment without the inconvenience and risks associated with contact lens wear.
Book a free vision correction consultation with Optical Express and discover how clearer vision could not only enhance your holiday experience but also reduce your reliance on contact lenses and the risks that come with them. Because the best holiday memories are the ones you can see clearly.
Book A Consultation