I agree, if you only need correction for reading (presbyopia), it's easier just to carry a pair of readers for intermittent use. It's not easy to correct presbyopia with contacts and if your vision is otherwise fine, not worth the effort IMHO.

Any approach that lets you wear good quality sunglasses at altitude is worth pursuing.

Cheers,

Rick

"So would wearing glasses on long backpacking trips be a suitable solution for contact users?"

It would be workable in dry climates, although the peripheral field of vision is somewhat circumscribed due to the lens being at a distance from the cornea. In wetter climates, or winter just about anywhere, the hassle factor increases exponentially due to water on the lenses, either condensate or in the form of rain drops/snow flakes.

So daily lense wearers, what are you all doing for a mirror ? I have very dry eyes and really only find daily's suitable, but it means putting em out and in daily. What do folks use for a mirror ?

Believe it or not, no mirror. Practice in the safety of your own home until you can get it down. I've had contact lenses fall out in the most inconvenient of places, so out of necessity I've learned to put them back in without a mirror. Otherwise, if you keep a small signal mirror in your kit, use that.

I'm sure you already do this, but one of the tricks for making the lenses 'stick' to your eyes, so that there's a greater chance of getting it in 1 try, is to drop 1-2 drops of saline solution directly on the lens before placing them in your eye. I also, drop saline into each eye before placing the lenses in. I find that the combination of these 2 things not only makes the lens stick easier, but also provides for lasting comfort throughout the day ( no dryness ).

In addition to different brands of contacts, I've noticed that different brands of Saline Solution provide different levels of comfort. Opti-Free is like the devil to me...I swear my eyeballs can actually feel the lens when I use this brand of solution. I exclusively use Aquify. It's a bit pricier but its worth the long lasting comfort

Edited by Konrad1013 on 10/19/2010 11:40:54 MDT.

Thanks conrad. I try but can't get the left one ! Right is always OK.

That's funny. You're half way there...keep practicing!. Also, forgot to mention. I've used the reflection off sunglasses before. Polarized lenses work the best and are very close to actual mirrors. G'luck

I carry a small signal mirror with my kit for emergencies. It works well enough for putting in contacts. I've tried without a mirror for putting mine in but it's difficult in my left eye as well.

I also use the mirror in combination with a tea light at night for reading (outside of shelter). Along with my windscreen it provides ample illumination/reflection. For areas that do not allow a campfire it's a subtle tribute to a cozy campfire.

If you are carrying a compass anyway, get one with a sighting mirror. The mirror can be upright at 90 degrees when you place the compass flat on a log or rock. The mirror is also an emergency signal mirror.

I'll always take a mirror in case a contact lense gets displaced to the back of the eye and I need to fish it out.

A good lightweight mirror is:
http://www.rei.com/search?query=Coghlan%E2%80%99s+Featherweight+Mirror

Made of plastic, you can score the back with a utility knife and snap it to any size you want. A 1.5" x 2" piece weighs 0.3 oz.

I think glasses are best if they're only for occasional reading and close-up tasks, but I don't need them for this. For distance vision, I prefer contacts.

I have worn soft contacts (and tried various other types), but can't any longer due to dry eyes and increased astigmatism. I now have to wear glasses, but wish I could wear contacts. I constantly fiddle with my glasses due to various sweat, precipitation, and fogging issues.

If you wear glasses, be sure to use a retainer of some kind. It's very easy to lose them in water and especially snow.