Three simple pointers for people travelling with dry eye:

• DRINK UP: From the notoriously dry airplane environment to zealously temperature-controlled hotels to the beach or slopes, you may well be at higher risk of poor overall hydration while away from home. If you get dehydrated you can count on worse dry eyes. Drink up! If you're drinking alcohol, try to drink water in between.
• LUBE UP: On airplanes or in hotels you may need heavier, stronger eye lubricants than at home. Some may also benefit from more frequent application of artificial tears as a preventive measure. Don't wait till dry eye gets out of control. Remember, the impact of extra stress on your eyes does not always show up immediately.
• COVER UP: During the day good eyewear is essential. If your eyes get very dried out flying, or if you are at risk of erosions, make sure you bring some kind of eye mask with you in flight (anything from a soft cloth mask to a tranquileyes goggle may help prevent excessive drying). Outdoors, and indoors if necessary, high quality wraparound eyewear, ideally with foam pads (e.g. Panoptx), is a great way to protect the eyes. For nighttime, check out our night protection suggestions - you may need to step up your night treatments when travelling.

Increased restrictions on items permitted in carry-on luggage in the UK and US may pose problems for dry eye patients dependent on over-the-counter remedies particularly until the restrictions are better defined. If you need liquid dry eye products in-flight or are unsure whether your products are allowed under current airline policies, it may be advisable to obtain a statement from your doctor's office explicitly identifying the products you require. Click here to download a simple form that you might be able to use or modify for this purpose.

Do:

• SWITCH OFF that vent over your seat on the plane.
• Bring a bottle of water on board.
• Bring plenty of drops, and use them more frequently than on the ground.
• Bring something to protect your eyes in over-heated or over-air-conditioned hotel rooms. Tranquileyes is a favorite, but for something economical a soft eye mask will also help.

Don't:

• Pack all your eye gear into your checked baggage.
• Neglect your eyes while travelling. Sometimes extra stress on the eyes does not become evident till a couple of days later.

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