What are contact lenses wearers to do?

[pouncingpluto]

Glasses can also take some getting used to for people with really strong prescriptions. When I was a teenager, for the first few years I had contacts, I couldn't wear glasses without feeling something similar to motion sickness (think of how disorienting it can be to look through too strong a prescription, and that'll give you an idea of what I mean). My mother still has this issue. What got me past it was running out of my disposable contacts while I was overseas and being forced to go a couple weeks wearing my glasses. Since that time, I can switch back and forth between contacts and glasses without a problem.

However, I definitely see much better with contacts than with glasses, because of the lack of correction glasses provide for peripheral vision. So, I would feel uncomfortable wearing glasses for the flight, because if my contacts were in my checked bag, and my checked bag were lost, the trip would really stink! Not to mention the fact that I'm really sensitive to sunlight and don't have prescription sunglasses.

 

[Love Tigger]

BTW, as to just wearing glasses to fly, the problem is that because of the popularity of disposable and extended-wear lenses, many contact wearers don't even own glasses any more. For the occasional flier, buying a pr. of glasses just for this purpose is kind of a large expense.

The problem I see with this, is that even if you have a pair of glasses, how many out there have prescription sunglasses? Luckily, I have both because my eyes are light sensitive and they hurt if I go out into bright, midday sunshine without protection.

I've been known to wear both contacts and glasses when flying, depending on how dry my eyes have been in the days before my vacation. I usually have a couple of the single use rewetting drops in one of my pockets when I fly. Hopefully by my departure date (Aug 19), they'll allow the single use vials on the plane. If not, I'll have my glasses, prescription sunglasses, and non-prescription sunglasses in my carry on.

 

[eeyore45]

The irritation I feel is that the contact lense bottle was used ELEVEN YEARS ago -

(to try and detonate the Phillipines airplane, he apparantly used some form of nitroglycerin in the contact bottle, it being unstable blew up early - ie before departure, killing a passenger - obviously it couldve been much worse - ie the plot that was uncovered in Britian)

I agree I want to be safe than sorry, inconvenience me to get at the terrorists, no problem... but I dont think it should've taken 11 years to address this situation!!

 

[NotUrsula]

it being unstable blew up early - ie before departure,

And there you have the reason why TSA wasn't particularly concerned. They felt that the odds of someone successfully getting a liquid explosive all the way to the airport and onto a plane while concealed was very low because of how volatile it is. They apparently didn't consider the issue of several people carrying on separate components and mixing it onboard, with the added convenience of wireless detonators making it possible to detonate it more easily.

It's still really not easy to do that kind of mixing in an aircraft head; very shaky place, for the most part. I expect that we will now see not just smoke detectors in the head, but automatic pressurized fire extinguishers that will fill the space with an inert gas cloud in a few tenths of a second. Most of these chemicals will start a nasty fire, but not create a large concussion, at least not in small amounts. If the fire can be put out, the odds of surviving in spite of the loss of cabin pressure are much higher (still not great, mind you).

 

[CarolA]

I just spoke to a friend of mine whose husband is an eye doctor. He and the pharmacist in his building are working together. He writes a prescription for wetting solution, the pharmacist fills it and slaps the lable on it. Now you can take it on the plane. He hasn't heard from his patients yet, but he has had about 6 requests for this. I will let you know when he hears back as to if this worked. Figure a few days or so.

(Yes, this is ALL legal OTC drugs can be perscribed and often are. Pharmacists will put labels on them to instruct the patient in HOW the MD want's them to use the OTC)

 

[Lewisc]

This is probably academic, I suspect the restrictions on small vials of eye drops will be relaxed sooner rather than later. The exception is for essential non-prescription medicine such as insulin. I wouldn't count on a particular TSA employee letting something go just because you have a label from a pharmacy on it.

 

[CarolA]

This is probably academic, I suspect the restrictions on small vials of eye drops will be relaxed sooner rather than later. The exception is for essential non-prescription medicine such as insulin. I wouldn't count on a particular TSA employee letting something go just because you have a label from a pharmacy on it.

From TSA. gov

"Exception: Baby formula and breast milk if a baby or small child is traveling; prescription medicine with a name that matches the passenger’s ticket; and insulin and essential other non-prescription medicines"

Based on this the TSA should let it go with the label.


When I had my eye surgery and my corneal ulcer both I had instructions to use mediications in my eye every hour. (And trust me with the ulcer that was ESSENTIAL, the options were not worth considering)

And if a TSA agent thinks he/she is QUALIFIED to detemine what MEDS are ESSENTIAL I suggest you ask for a supervisor. Be polite but do not give in.

If you have a physicians prescription then it should NOT be up to a TSA agent to judge your medical condition. They can if they want call the MD and/or the RX to verify the scrip, but that is all they can do IMHO.

Now, I don't think a Doctor's note is going to cut it. You are probably going to need the labled drug.

 

[CleveRocks]

This time I'm packing an old set of glasses in bubble wrap since I heard glass cases may be conficated.

That's only in the U.K., not here in the USA.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

BINGO. You just hit one of the "security flaws" on the head.

However, they won't admit that.. According to the folks at Homeland Secuirity you can't get a liquid past the first screening......

As we jokingly say at the hospital I work in when we make a mistake, "Damn that 'human factor.'"
We know too well that anytime that we rely on humans to perform a task, it can't be done perfectly 100% of the time. We're all human and we all make mistakes whether we're doctors, pilots, FBI agents, or airport security screeners. We're not robots. Of course this also is the cause of my fear of flying!

 

[kwdietrich1]

OP here. I appreciate all of your advice. As several posters mentioned in their experience, I cannot see as well while wearing my glasses. My prescription is current and has been triple checked. My contacts do a better job of correcting my vision. I get terrible headaches when switching back and forth between the two. Is it a deal breaker...NO. I will still fly, but I will try the avenue of RX eye drops, and pray that bad luck doesn't strike me thrice. It is a inconvience, but I will get over it. Safety first.