By Nigel Little 

Contact lenses for dry eyes  worn only while sleeping offer the best means of avoiding the problem of in-flight irritation frequently experienced when flying by people wearing conventional daytime contact lenses, especially on long haul trips. The main reason that dry eye and the associated irritation becomes such a problem during flights is that the relative humidity inside the typical pressurised cabin can be as low as less than ten per cent which leads to high evaporative losses from a person's tear film. The latter is the lubricating mechanism for the eyes so when it is ‘dried' by low humidity environments, it inevitably leads to the risk that dry eye problems will arise.

According to survey evidence, around seventy per cent of pilots experience dry eye problems during flights making it much more difficult to wear standard daytime contact lenses which rely on the eyes remaining well lubricated. This is where overnight ortho-k contact lenses for dry eyes  offer a great new alternative to daytime lenses since they are only worn while sleeping to correct short-sight. Using the mild pressure of closed eyelids during sleep, the ortho-k lenses gently reshape the surface of the cornea to ensure that when they are removed, light will enter the eyes at the correct angle to focus directly on the retina at the back of the eye rather than in front of it.

For air passengers who wear daytime contact lenses, the added problem of being in a low humidity environment for an extended period is that bacteria tend to thrive in such conditions which give rise to the risk that microbial infections can develop between the contact lens and the surface of the eye. Given that a major aircraft manufacturer like Boeing estimates that in-flight relative humidity is around ten to fifteen per cent as against recommendations from leading organisations such as the UK Health and Safety Executive and CIBSE that around fifty per cent is ideal, it is clear that air travellers need to be aware that the risk of experiencing eye health problems is high. Hence, as the summer holiday season gets into gear, it would seem to be a good time to switch to overnight ortho-k contact lenses for dry eyes .

Check if you are suitable for overnight ortho-k contact lenses for dry eyes .