Contact Lenses

I'm a long-time contact lens wearer but made the switch to dailies shortly before our 16 day trip a couple years ago. Nearly 40 dailies takes up a little bit of precious room in the suitcase, but they are super comfortable, spares are easy (I took a few extra lenses beyond the daily requirement), and each day I free up a tiny bit more space for the purchases along the way! Oh, and I didn't have to carry any solutions. However, I did need some saline while I was there. I pantomimed the best I could to the pharmacist ("sal" while making eye drop motions, thankfully they got it!). I purchased a box of individual 5 mL containers of saline solution! I have searched but not found anything like it here that wasn't an allergy drop (and those are tiny). These little tubes are just right for giving contacts a rinse. I've been stingy with what I brought home!

A contrary view - I always wear a hat so my glasses don't have the problem and besides they're easy to wipe off on the occasion they do get some drops of rain. But the main reason I haven't gone to contacts is that I have presbyopia and would still need glasses for either short or long distance - that plus I have a hard time even putting eye drops in, let alone putting in contacts.

And here's a gem to watch out for with your contacts. Our sons ran into this back in 2011 when we sent them on a summer trip to Berlin and Amsterdam, via BA. Going through our TSA, their bottle of saline is considered a medicine, and thus could be in their carry-on and not subject to the 3-1-1- rules. Not so with BritishAIr/UK security. When they connected in Heathrow and went through their security, their new 8 ounce bottle of saline had to be tossed. Same with their replacement bottle when they went home from Amsterdam at the BA gate there. (EasyJet did not care when they flew from Berlin to Amsterdam).

For over 25 years now I have been unable to wear contacts because I could no longer read in them, but when I did it was the only time I was comfortable running as the airflow kept sweat out of my eyes.

Interesting, Larry that you had problems with Security and saline solution. Our daughters have gone numerous (too numerous to count) times through US Security, Europe Security and Africa Security and never had a problem. They did have their bottles of saline in their gallon size ziploc with other medicines but never were challenged on it. (Note that their medicine ziplocs are gallon, not quart size!)

My husband wears contacts and didn't have an issue with the solution in Europe at heathrow or Gatwick. Perhaps because we carried the travel size....tho we did go over from Canada with full size bottles. We just showed them separately going thru security as we only travel with carry on. I used to wear contacts, but my eyes would dry out if I happened to fall asleep on a train. I just wear either a ball cap or a bucket type hat to keep the rain off, the sun out and my long hair from blowing around. Gatwick is a little better now with liquids. My mom managed to put three full size shower gels and shampoos in her carry on last year. At Gatwick, they just put them in their little machine thingy and analyzed them and she was good to go. No confiscating!

Wore glasses for 15years, switched to contacts for another 15, had lasik surgery about 9 yrs ago. Both switches were life changing. My only regret is not having the surgery sooner. It is wonderful to wake up & be able to see the alarm clock or see the bus coming down the street.

Mary

Darcy, only thing I can think of was that it was specific to BA. Also, it was an 8 ounce bottle, could not be in the 3-1-1- bag. It's never been a problem in the US, and they have not had a chance to test this with other than BA/UK security. Might have changed by now.

It really shouldn't matter whether it is BA or another airline...do they know at their security check which airline you are flying with? I recall them checking our tickets before hitting security (to make sure we just aren't waltzing thru) but they don't separate you into which airline...I don't think the bag checkers know who you are flying with. Sounds like an over zealous security checker. We use BA when flying within Europe and my husband never had an issue with his saline solution. We may have been using the smaller travel size, but they were NOT in the 311 bag as that was full of other items...

I always bring my own contact solution in small-travel sizes, which I can get from my eye doctor as well as the drugstore. I have never seen Clear Care sold in Europe or the UK. I dispose of my contacts monthly and just feel at ease bringing what amount I need for the duration of the trip.

FWIW, at the time of their trip, when they flew out of Schiphol, security was done at each gate, thus it was presumably BA personnel and rules. I do not know why Heathrow security treated their saline bottles as an issue, I was not there. The only real hassle was that they had to find a replacement immediately upon reaching Berlin as their two week disposable lenses were not to be worn while sleeping.

Dailies are great for travel. No need to carry solution, which adds a lot of weight. The downside is that they are expensive, so I use them just for travel and use monthlies when I am home. I wear my glasses on the plane since I often fall asleep, which dries my eyes out.

Interesting to know Larry - we are using BA in a few weeks from Nice to LGW, so will see what happens with hubby's solution!

Update on the contact lens solution. Hubby was carrying a small travel size bottle. It was still over the 100ml size...it may be 120 or 150ml. Not an issue at all in Halifax (he just put it separately in the bin with his 311 bag). And when we flew from Nice yesterday, it could fit in his 311 bag (as we've gone thru some of the travel stuff) and the lady at security just took it out and put in in their little liquid doohickey analyzer and not an issue at all.