KathBC

I keep reading about all the dust while on safari and wonder if it'll be even remotely possible to wear contact lenses with sunglasses or will I have to wear glasses?

This is not so much about vanity but rather being able to see better with contacts and absolutely hating my multi focal glasses!

Anyone make it thru safari with contacts and lots of eye drops??

cary999

I wear glasses, don't wear contacts, but, have seldom seen/had really dusty safari drives. Never came back to camp covered in red dust. These were mostly in South Africa, slow speed drives out of safari camps. If your clipping along at 50mph in a minivan trying to make time from one camp to another like in Kenya or Tanzania, then different story. So it depends, depends on where you are, what you're doing, and time of year and other safari traffic. I'd take and try both.

regards - tom

Elizabeth_S

I was equally worried about this in advance of our trip to East Africa and Namibia earlier this year. I'm happy to report I had no problems at all however I think a large part of my success was due to really tight fitting sunglasses and wearing a hat with a brim.

As a fall back I had a pair of glasses (which I too hate and never wear) and a pair of those ugly sunglasses that fit over top of prescription glasses (they have them at Shopper's Drug Mart), but I never used them!

moneyburns

Hey Kath! No problem with my dry eyes and dust. We drove some dusty roads but not fast enough to affect our eyes or get all over us like I thought it would. Just take sunglasses and maybe your glasses - just in case.

I did take some cotton scarves that I kept in a pack, but never had to pull out to cover face or camera. Occasionally, I wanted to cover my face when Mr.MoneyB was taking a pic, but that is another report: "Taking pics of Wife After Sundowners is a NoNo".

patandhank

Kath - take a look at getting some of the sunglasses that have kind of a seal like this http://www.eyewear-accessories.co.uk..._eye_seal.html I have a pair similar to this (only posted this to show you an example) that I've worn on jeep rides etc that I plan on taking with me when we go on safari. The pair I got I happened to see and weren't that expensive. Anyway I love them even when I go hiking they help with dust.

skibumette

Had no problems with my soft lenses and rather dry eyes. Took along some wetting drops but not sure I used them even once.

TravlinFool

BRING your glasses as back up and prescription sunglasses or clip on shades. I had problems with my contacts at two of our four locations in Kenya. I assume it depends on when and where you're going, but everybody's eyes are different. Just because one person didn't have a problem, doesn't mean you won't. (And vice versa.) Better safe than sorry.

KathBC

Ok thanks everyone! Glad to hear it probably won't be that much of a problem.

Will take several pairs of lenses, lots of comfort drops, my regular glasses (ugh)and those clip on sunglasses.

Great idea about sunglasses that offer more protection for the eyes. Will definitely look into those.

I knew I'd come to the right place with this question!!

MyDogKyle

I'm chiming in a little late here, but just saw this thread. I wear gas-permeable (hard) lenses and did occasionally need to use my eye drops on game drives, more so in arid areas and open vehicles (not surprising!). When I was wearing sunglasses I didn't have too much trouble with the dust. I always, always, always bring a back-up pair of contacts and my glasses when I travel, just in case.

The one thing I want to add that I didn't see mentioned above is that if you are in a dusty area, you might want to consider wearing glasses for night game drives, since you won't have the sunglasses on for protection. The only serious problem I had was getting an eyeful of dust on a night drive and having to take my lens out (and put it back in) in the pitch dark of an open vehicle. Not a lot of fun!

KathBC

Thanks MyDogKyle, my contacts are soft and I also never travel without several pairs of them and my glasses.

Good advise on the night game drives...never thought about not wearing sunglasses when on them! Someone even mentioned wearing plain glasses with no prescription just to protect the eyes. Not sure where one finds those but it's not a bad idea.

tinydancer

I had both contacts and bifocal sunglasses, as I use multi-vision, and I used both. The only problem I recall having with the contacts was maybe either being in too much of a hurry in the morning to put them in, having the bathroom be too dark to see well enough, or sometimes feeling my eyes were dry during the day. I kept my lens carrier with me if that happened, so I just popped out the lenses and switched to the glasses. I also had eyeglasses (bifocal) that turn dark in the sun.