contact lenses

Contact fluid has to go in the bag but not contacts themselves -- or at least that is what we do with no problems. And contact fluid is easily purchased in Europe so we only take the small travel bottles.

I have never put contact lenses in my liquid bag. I use dailies, so have to pack quite a few of them. As I use them up, more room for other stuff I pick up along the way. And I don't require any special solutions, so if I need saline, I just buy it over there. It's easy to find in pharmacies. If you don't use dailies - you should! :)

I took three weeks worth of dailies in my carry-on bag to Scandinavia last year and did not put them in my liquids bag. I started off using Dailies just for travel about 8 years ago and this year I started using them for everyday wear. They really are more comfortable for me, and much less hassle. Your eye doctor might be able to give you a trial supply for free. That is how I became hooked!

Maybe seven years ago my checked bag, with all my lens solution, limped into Madrid five days after we did, &, big ouch, prices there were hugely higher than stateside. Maybe the costs have leveled out now, but I carry on at least one 3-oz. ever since.
And surprise, the same delay happened on another trip (different airline, just lucky...).
Caveat emptor, & happy travel!, from Stew's wife, Vicki.

Vicki - that's why so many of us avoid checking bags! My dailies go on the plane with me... :)

My husband wears hard lenses, and often he can't find hard lens solution in European pharmacies. However, we discovered that TSA allows more than a 3 oz. bottle of lens solution to go through security, so he's brought a 4+ ounce bottle from home each time we go. It has never been an issue and never been challenged.

All of this time I have been putting my dailies in my 311 bag! This is great!

You should double check this information, but I was trying to research earlier about taking prescription eye drops to Europe that will be too large to fit into the 3-1-1 bag. I was told by other travelers that in addition to my prescription eye drops, medical supplies including contact lens solution can be placed in a separate plastic bag in your carryon. You will have to let the TSA officer know that you have medical supplies/liquids when you go through the checkpoint, but apparently contact lens solution may be okay.

Just completed a two week France/Spain trip. Apparently my daily contacts when connected and x-rayed look like a knife and have a sharp edge, so tsa asked about them. I identified them as my contacts, thought it was interesting... After this when I travel, I'll be sure they're on top so when my bag is open, they're right in sight.

I am sorry but there is no way contact lens could look like a knife with sharp edges. Something else triggered the search - maybe the packaging but even doubt if a lens would show on an x-ray.

It was the packaging Frank. The daily lens are packed in kind of foil package that's a long strip. I can see where it would trigger a question.

FYI in the US your solution is considered a 'medical need' and you can have a 2nd baggie for it so it won't have to go in your 3-1-1 with the rest of your junke, put it in it's own bag.

(This may not work returning!)