Near-sighted as close to all my life as doesn't matter.

Anything beyond about 18" is out of focus.

I have my previous pair in a hardcase in my GHB in my trunk. When I replace my current pair, they'll go in the GHB and the prev. ones will go in the GOOD (Get Out Of Dodge) bag.

In a world where prescription lenses aren't available any more? I'd be up the creek without even a canoe. And something brushing my leg.

Good thinking. You can now order prescription glasses online for as little as $25. ( I'm wearing mine now.) Get a few spares.

I have spare pairs of contacts, but I'm concerned about how well they'll store in my BOB. My BOB is kept in the trunk of my car most of the time, so it's subject to 100+ degree temperatures in the summer and below freezing in the winter.

Does the collective wisdom here have a sense as to how well contacts and solution last in various conditions of heat and cold?

if subjected to varying degrees and conditions, i'd just go with a pair or pairs of glasses. I use contacts, but I would not consider them suitable for serious situations where you are without adequate backup or supply. As they are, contacts are just too delicate. get something in your eye? better be able to take out that contact with clean hands because otherwise you are not going to put it back in.

i have several pairs of glasses stored in various bags and drawers, all with hard cases. They make the package more bulky but i rest easier knowing that they can take some knocking about.

Well, if SHTF then I guess I can't hold onto vanity and will have to go back to this all the time: http://www.flickr.com/photos/christinarodriguez/3495125184

My options are pretty limited, sadly. I have the retinas of a 65-year old and have a very expensive perscription. My contacts aren't supposed to be worn for longer than a year, according to my doctor, so keeping backups or disposables isn't really an option. To top it off, Lasik might do more damage than good (already had my retina detach once, thanks).

So, I must rely on glasses as backups. They haven't improved much since that picture was taken, but at least I can hold onto them much longer.

New to the forum here. Every time I go in to update my prescription (I wear glasses only), I get a new pair of glasses & tuck away the old ones somewhere useful, always keeping the most recent pair in the car. I also keep a few anti-fog lens wipes in all of my toiletry kits, though plain soap & water will work fine. I used to keep one of those cheap repair kits in my BOB too, but realized none of the screws would fit any of my glasses. Duct tape worked fine the one time a set of glasses fell apart, at least until I got to a fresh set.

I've also used duct tape as a glasses holder: During a weeklong offtrail hike, I realized in the first few minutes that I'd forgotten to bring a sunglass holder to keep the brush from ripping my glasses off. Can't live without duct tape!

If space in an issue, like an EDC kit, I had a set of prescription lenses fit into "optical quality" folding reading glasses. If the folding frames are too cheap, the optometrist won't like putting prescriptions in them. I think Myspex brand was the one I settled on at the time, but I think there are some less expensive ones out there. When tucked away in their case, this spare set is about the size of a small & fat cellphone.

Hi, welcome to the forum. I wear lenses for play and glasses for mostly everything else. I like your thinking

You make many valid points. LASIK, and other surgical interventions, won't work for everyone. Contact lenses have their own burdens, weaknesses and contraindications. For many people eyeglasses are their only practical option. And I suspect that eyeglasses remain the backup of choice for anyone with anything less than perfect vision. Glasses, developed in the 14th century, are still a simple and reliable answer.

A little history for those so inclined:
http://www.teagleoptometry.com/history.htm

I wear glasses, but it's a very mild perscription. I keep a spare pair of sunglasses in the kit and clip-ons in my briefcase. My regular sunglasses live in the car. If you're looking for rugged and inexpensive glasses for your BOB, I'd give serious consideration to persciption safety glasses. They're (generally) a cheaper and tougher then the fashion frames most of us wear.

P.S. I know SHTF and TEOTWAWKI, but what's PAW?

PAW = Post Apocalyptic World. It's the favorited term at ZF.