Contact lens solution in carry-on?

[Liv's Mommy]

I thought I read somewhere on here that contact lens solution was ok to bring in your carry-on, even though it is over 3 ozs. Is that true?

Thanks!

 

[Jestocost]

Yes. Contact lens solution is grouped with OTC and prescription meds and is exempt from the 3 oz. carry-on limitation. You should not put contact lens solution containers larger than 3 oz. in your 3-1-1 bag (although I would recommend putting it in a zip lock bag in case of leaks) and you should alert they screener that you have it. They likely will ask you to remove it from your luggage for screening, but just follow their instructions.

Be aware that there are TSA screeners who--gasp!--don't know or understand all of the rules and it's possible you will find one that tries to make you dispose of your solution. If this happens, politely ask for clarification or ask that they get a second opinion. Hopefully that will get things straightened out.

 

[justplaingoofy]

I usually get the 2 oz size and put it in a seperate sandwich baggie and just don't put it in my 3-1-1 bag. I put my ziplock bag in the gray bin, but then I put the 2oz lens solution in the gray bin too.

 

[1tufgt]

I've just got the travel size that would last me and put it in my clear quart zip lock bag and put it thorugh the screener.

I did one time at PHX have the TSA agent ask me to pull it out and open it so she could test it.

 

[Liv's Mommy]

Ok, thanks! It is my dh who wears the contacts, so I didn't realize that you could get smaller bottles of solution. I guess I will just have him decide what he wants to do about it.

 

[1tufgt]

Ok, thanks! It is my dh who wears the contacts, so I didn't realize that you could get smaller bottles of solution. I guess I will just have him decide what he wants to do about it.

Yeah they make travel sizes available. It's where all the other travel size stuff are at. Like soap, toothpaste and etc...

 

[Meeky Mouse]

Be aware that there are TSA screeners who--gasp!--don't know or understand all of the rules and it's possible you will find one that tries to make you dispose of your solution. If this happens, politely ask for clarification or ask that they get a second opinion. Hopefully that will get things straightened out.

This is very true. Security forced my husband to throw his bottle away (even though it was brand new & still sealed) because they said it had to be 3 oz. or less. Luckily we were able to find a drugstore in the Disney area that was still open so that we could buy a replacement (I say luckily because it was after midnight when we arrived). We travel with the smaller size bottle now just to avoid any problems.

 

[Jestocost]

This is very true. Security forced my husband to throw his bottle away (even though it was brand new & still sealed) because they said it had to be 3 oz. or less. Luckily we were able to find a drugstore in the Disney area that was still open so that we could buy a replacement (I say luckily because it was after midnight when we arrived). We travel with the smaller size bottle now just to avoid any problems.

You were lucky at least to be traveling in the U.S. when this happened. I have a friend who ran into this while traveling to Mexico and had to spend a ton of time and money driving all over in a cab to find contact lens solution.

 

[Sharon G]

I find the travel size saline solution right next to the regular size bottles. He might have to go with a different brand than he normally uses.

 

[DisneyMominMTL]

I had no problem bringing my full size bottle in my carry-on. And it is HUGE! Lol. It was sealed on the way there and opened on the way back. I guess it depends on the agent.

 

[Manda]

I found 2 oz bottles of Renu solution in the trial/travel size bins at CVS yesterday. Stores that carry the Safeway brands (i.e. Dominicks in Chicago area) also carry a 2 oz bottle of the Safeway generic solution. My DH just prefers to stick with the approved size bottles than having to worry about it. And we travel only carry on anyway, so prefer smaller of everything. But, yes, theoretically, you can take a full size bottle.

 

[ohiotinkfan]

My DS carried on 2 large bottles, 1 Aosept and 1 Saline, on our most recent trip. No problems at all, in Orlando he forgot to get them out of his backpack but TSA just took them out (they were in a large zip-loc bag) and very nicely reminded him to always put the bottles in a tray for screening. The TSA agent just ran them over something and handed the bottles back. In Huntington, WVA at a very small airport that Allegiant flies out of, the TSA actually tested both his bottles with some sort of strip. They also swabbed his carry-on and patted him down. That has never happened to him before but the Huntington airport is so small I don't think TSA had anything else to do.

 

[PHXscuba]

You can also ask the doctor you get your contacts from if you can get a couple of travel-size bottles. They usually have lots of samples. DH took several small bottles with us to Mexico in the spring because we only had carry-ons. I'm glad to know he can take a big bottle next time if we want.

PHXscuba