Contact lens solution - CATSA (2024)

FAQs

Contact lens solution - CATSA? ›

Contact lens solution: These items are considered to be essential non-prescription medications. You are allowed to carry volumes greater than 100 ml (3.4 oz.) in your carry-on baggage. These liquids must be declared to the Screening Officer separately.

Contact Lens Solution

Any oversized medically-necessary liquids that alarm during screening, testing positive for certain chemicals, may not be allowed through the screening checkpoint. Some contact lens solutions contain chemicals that typically alarm and may not permitted through the checkpoint.

Carry on as much solution as you want, just declare it.

Contact solution falls under the TSA's definition of medical liquids, which means you can bring on more than the 3 oz. maximum allowance for most other liquids. You don't have to put your solutions in a baggie, just declare them at the checkpoint.

But these solutions can also cause serious problems if not used correctly. Incorrect care of contact lens solutions can increase your risk of eye infections and corneal ulcers. These conditions can develop very quickly and can be very serious. In rare cases, these conditions can cause blindness.

A typical travel size bottle (about 2oz) will last a one to two weeks. It you are traveling for more than a week, it would be safer to pack several bottles. Bring enough solution so that you don't have to worry about buying it at your destination and risk not finding the type of solution that you need.

Yes. Whether disposable or reusable, contact lenses should go in clear, quart-sized bags as per the TSA's 3-1-1 liquids rule. Note that each lens case or packet must contain no more than 100 milliliters of liquid and must fit inside the quart-sized bag.

Do contact lenses count as liquids when travelling? No, sealed daily disposable blister packs don't count as liquids when you're travelling. You can pack as many as you need in both your hand luggage and your hold bags.

You must declare them to security officers at the checkpoint for inspection. To keep it simple, bring a travel-size bottle of contact lens solution in your carry-on bag.

These are limited to travel-sized containers that are 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less per item. Placing these items in the small bag and separating from your carry-on baggage facilitates the screening process. Pack items that are in containers larger than 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters in checked baggage.

You are generally allowed to bring opened or used wet wipes on a plane, whether they are for personal hygiene or cleaning purposes. Wet wipes are considered a non-liquid item, so they do not fall under the TSA's 3-1-1 rule, which limits the amount of liquids, gels, and aerosols that can be brought in carry-on luggage.

What can I use instead of contact solution? ›

Is there a substitute for contact solution overnight? If you cannot throw your lenses away and can't get to a store to buy new contact lens solution prior to going to bed, you can store your lenses in hydrogen peroxide, saline nasal spray or eye refreshing drops.

Since hydrogen peroxide solutions do not have additional preservatives, they do not kill pathogens after the first six hours and are not appropriate for long term storage. It is only safe to keep the lenses in the solutions for up to seven days.

"The firm answer is no, you cannot use water as a contact solution. Using tap water, bottled or even distilled water is never the substitute for contact lens solution." Putting contact lenses in water will contaminate the lenses and give rise to eye irritation or even infection!

Some contacts can't stay in a solution any longer than a day, whereas others can be stored for much longer (even up to a month). It depends on your lenses' wear schedule. Leaving contacts in their solution for too long can allow germs to accumulate, especially if the wells in your lens case aren't tightly sealed.

Reusing the same contact lens solution over and over puts your eye at risk of bacteria that can cause eye infections, which could lead to much more serious eye complications that might require surgery.

Never reuse old solution.

Medically necessary contact lenses are non-elective contact lenses prescribed when certain medical conditions hinder vision correction through regular eyeglasses and contact lenses are the accepted standard of treatment.

All contact lenses are classified as medical devices by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and require a valid prescription, whether they correct your vision or are worn simply for a special occasion.

TSA Cares provides information on security procedures aimed to help passengers with disabilities, medical conditions and individuals needing additional assistance to better prepare for the security screening process. TSA has modified procedures to ensure that your screening experience is smooth and seamless.

You should buy solution that is TSA travel limits (ie less than 3 Oz) but you can also put your own solution in the actual contact case before you leave for the airport, seal tightly and when you're ready to take them out, have at it. Then you can pack a larger contact Solution bottle in your checked bag.