Your contact lens guide for music festival season

Grab your wellies and sunglasses – it's the start of festival season! While hearing all your favourite songs is the top priority, having clear vision of all the action onstage is just as important.  

If you’re considering whether you should take your specs or if contact lenses are the better choice, here's our guide to summer’s major festivals and tips to soak up all the sights and sounds you paid the hefty ticket price for.

Should you wear lenses or glasses to a festival?

You can't go wrong by packing both, but when it comes down to it, contact lenses are the real rockstar to keep your eyes festival ready. Here are a few reasons why picking lenses over glasses makes the most sense for festival season.

Benefits of contact lenses at festivals:

• Many lens brands offer UV-blocking features to help protect your eye against harmful sun rays (be sure to use them with UV-protecting sunnies for complete coverage) 
• It’s easier to wear sunglasses or fashionable eyewear when paired with your contact lenses 
• Lenses won't get smudged, dusty, or fog up in the crowd heat 
• No need to worry about your glasses breaking or falling off in the mud or ground
• Better peripheral vision of the crowd and your surroundings
• Less expensive to replace if you happen to lose them

Tips for wearing contact lenses at festivals

A few things are certain at big festivals. It’s going to get busy, and everything won't go according to plan, which is why a little prep can go a long way in making the most of your experience.

When wearing your lenses at a festival, here are some tips to keep the good time in clear view.

Daily lens wearers – Daily lenses are ideal for camping out or spending several days at a festival. Since they're single-use, you can easily dispose of each lens at the end of the day and put in a new pair each morning to kickstart your day of fun. Also, since they require no ongoing routine, you don't need to pack solution bottles or other accessories to keep them clean. Just remember to bring a few spares, because you never know what can happen at a festival.

Monthly lens wearers –  If you usually wear monthly lenses and have a multi-day music festival to prep for, try packing travel-sized cleaning solutions to save space. It's also a good idea to bring multiple lens cases, one to keep safely in your tent or camper and another for when you are out and about. With more dust, germs, and potentially pollen in the air at festival venues, make sure not to cut corners when disinfecting your monthlies and give them the deep clean they deserve.

Coloured lens wearers –  to post that perfect pic to your socials, you might want to give your eye colour an added boost. When wearing cosmetic coloured lenses, always follow the proper cleaning instructions provided by your optician or consider a daily disposable version that doesn't require extra maintenance.

General lens and eye care rules to follow at festivals

Whatever lens style you wear, follow these simple steps to keep your vision safe and sound.

• Don’t change or insert lenses in public washing areas. Handle your lenses in your own personal space, like your tent or vehicle 
• Thoroughly clean and dry your hands before inserting and removing your lenses 
• Pack anti-bacterial gel, wipes, and soap to always have a way to keep your hands disinfected
• If your eyes are prone to dryness, carry lubricating eye drops suitable to use with lenses to keep them comfy  
• Dehydration can cause eye irritation. Drink plenty of water throughout the day 
• If you need to cool down, don’t swim in ponds/lakes or use mist tents when wearing your lenses 
• Wear UV-blocking sunglasses to provide full protection from the sun’s harmful rays  
• When applying makeup, put your lenses in first to avoid contamination 
• Pack a small mirror to help you insert your lenses quickly and easily

Top summer music festivals in Europe

Glastonbury 

When someone thinks of epic UK festivals, Glastonbury immediately comes to mind. This legendary gathering that first started in 1970 has been drawing the music industry's most famous names for over 50 years. With around 200,000 people packing stretches of fields in Somerset, England – Glasto, as it's often commonly shortened, becomes a city in itself and one of the season's biggest draws. The five-day festival is known for unpredictable weather, so packing a pair of wellies alongside your on-the-go daily disposable lenses is a safe bet to enjoy the concerts comfortably. 

Primavera Sound 

Break out your dance moves on the Mediterranean – Primavera Sound is not only Spain's biggest music festival, but it's also fast becoming one of the most popular in Europe. The annual festival held in Barcelona has become such a hit that it's started offshoots in nearby cities like Madrid and Lisbon and even across the Atlantic in Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo. From indie to pop, jazz, and hip-hop, Primavera Sound features headliners that will make any music aficionado happy.  

Tomorrowland 

Look into the future at Tomorrowland. Voted as Europe's best musical event of the year five years in a row, this electronic dance music festival drops all the right beats. Boasting world-renowned musicians and DJs, this Belgian festival is the must-attend summer event for EDM fans. Featuring futuristic displays and elaborate stages, many festival attendees like to dress the part with creative outfits to show off their style. Join in on the fun and bring your coloured lenses to complete your look.

Rock in Roma 

This month-long music event in the Italian capital keeps the hits coming, with rock bands and musicians headlining the Capannelle Racecourse almost every night from the end of June to July. From local Italian acts to major international rockstars like the Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen, this iconic month-long series of shows always have the whole crowd singing along. While attending every concert during the month might be difficult, wearing your monthly lenses is much easier, so be sure to stock up to catch the encore.

Lollapalooza Paris 

This famous American music festival has spread its soundwaves overseas to Paris with a French edition of the super-star-packed summer event. First introduced to Paris in 2016, the weekend celebration is fast becoming another one of Europe's must-see music festivals. In previous years, lineups have included chart-topping performers like The Killers, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and David Guetta. Taking place at the Hippodrome Paris-Longchamp in July, there’s still time to get your tickets before it’s too late. 

Now that you have the eye care basics to keep your eyes and contacts in festival form, it's time to get out there and enjoy some live tunes this summer!