How to Successfully Travel with Contact Lens Solution • Her Packing List

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If you have bad eyesight, as I do, packing can be a bit more complicated than for those with 20/20 vision.

I’ve worn contact lenses since I was 13 years old and have gotten the hang of it. Keeping up with that habit means I also have to pack contact lens solution when I travel- another liquid taking up space in my 3-1-1 toiletries bag.

But the advantages over glasses are plentiful, so I continue to make contact solution a priority on my packing list.

Traveling with contacts and contact lens solution doesn’t have to be a pain as long as you’re prepared. 

Quick Notes About Contacts

The types of contacts you have may affect the type and amount of contact lens solution you travel with.

• Hard Contacts: Hard contacts, also known as rigid gas permeable, were common early on in vision technology, but now are mostly reserved for specific conditions. They stay focused and don’t dry out eyes as much as soft contacts.

  They do, however, need to be “broken in” to give your eyes time to adjust. These contacts also require more upkeep than soft contacts and need different solution that may not be as easy to find while traveling.

• Soft Contacts: Soft contacts, on the other hand, are flexible and can get dislodged in your eyes. They’re much more common for all prescriptions and are fairly easily replaced. But because of their materials, they dry out much faster, especially while in dry places like airplanes.

  This means you are more likely to need eye drops in addition to your solution. They come in formats like dailies, which you change every day, and others that should be replaced every two weeks to a month. Dailies have their advantages, but take up more room in your luggage.

How to Travel with Contact Lens Solution

Traveling with contacts is only slightly inconvenient, but it’s traveling with solution that adds to your already limited TSA liquids bag. As always, we recommend taking only what you need, and also making sure your bottles are as leak-proof as possible.

The Solution? Pack travel sized bottles of contact lens solution.

It’s fairly easy to find TSA-approved bottles of solution at home, but not always overseas, especially in your preferred brand.

If this is the case, you may need to buy a full-size bottle of solution overseas (and pack it in your checked luggage or throw it away at the end of your trip if you’re traveling carry-on only) or resort to wearing your glasses.

We don’t recommend decanting your contact lens solution from its original bottle due to hygiene reasons.

Don’t rely on your contact lens solution being a “medically necessary liquid” and therefore exempt from the 3-1-1 rule. 

While you may be lucky, some contact lens solutions will test positive for certain chemicals that are not allowed through the screening checkpoint. The TSA recommends only traveling with contact lens solution bottles of 3.4 oz or less in your carry-on luggage. I’ve had to throw my small container of contact solution away when traveling in the UK.

Things like this can vary by country and even by the agent you encounter when passing airport checkpoints.

The more common solutions, like multi-purpose solution, are easily found in most countries, but will usually be a different brand. I’ve traveled through Australia, Asia, and Europe and never had trouble finding it. At stores like Boots and 7-Eleven, you should be able to find Western brands as well.

If you use a hydrogen peroxide system, however, you may need to bring enough to last for your entire trip. It pays to do your research before you go to make sure it’s available abroad. We suggest reaching out to the manufacturer to see if they know of the product’s distribution in the countries you intend to travel to.

In addition, people with sensitive eyes and allergies to certain solutions should pack enough for their trip unless they have confirmed the solution will be available at the destination. Otherwise, it might be a better option to forego contacts and stick to glasses for the brunt of a trip to cut back on the amount of liquids you actually need to pack.

Travel-Sized Contact Solution

The largest solution size we’ve found that fits a 3-1-1 bag is 2 oz. The next size up is 4 oz, which is larger than the 3.4 oz (100 ml) maximum. Even searching for “travel size contact solution 3 oz” results in a list of products of 2 or 4 ounces.

Carry-On Considerations: If you’re traveling carry-on only for your trip, you may want to pack multiple bottles of the 2 oz size solution into your 3-1-1 bag. This may mean that you have to pick up some other liquids at your destination (like shampoo, for example). Or you can invest in solid toiletries and not have to worry.

Here are some 2 oz options:

There are many contacts cases on the market, but the most important feature is a tight-fitting, leak-proof lid. Some come with a zippered container, tweezers, and a mirror for ease of taking out like this one on Amazon. I’ve personally found screw-top containers to be more secure than the hinged designs, but all cases differ. Test yours out prior to travel!

The biggest thing to remember when it comes to traveling with contacts is to change the solution and clean the case frequently to avoid infection and irritation. Also make sure to add solution so that they don’t accidentally dry out overnight.

• Always wash your hands with clean water before taking out or putting in your contacts. This can be a problem in developing countries, so you might want to travel with hand sanitizer or wet wipes. If you use hand sanitizer first, make sure your hands dry before touching contacts/eyes. Many recommend pouring a bit of contact solution over their fingers for extra cleansing.
• Change your contacts when your doctor recommends. I write the date that I should change contacts in marker on the blister pack as a reminder.
• Bring a backup pair of contacts and glasses. In case your contacts rip or you lose them, you’ll have both another pair and your glasses as a last resort.
• Pack your doctor’s prescription just in case. Most countries should let you refill your prescription overseas so it never hurts to have it. Also throw in your solution of choice so that you don’t have to use a random brand and so you can ask the pharmacist by showing them the bottle.
• Put your contacts and glasses in your carry-on, not your checked bag. You’d hate for your bags to get lost with your contacts inside! It’s also good to keep your contacts and solution with you to keep your flight comfortable.
• If your eyesight allows, a cheap pair of readers from the drugstore can be an easy alternative to your nice glasses for travel. It’s not so devastating if you break them (or lose them). Prescription sunglasses and goggles might be right for active travelers as well.

Tips for Traveling with Contacts On a Flight

• Consider using a lens re-wetting solution during the flight. This solution is thicker than a cleaning solution and may help your contacts feel more comfortable in dry airplane air.
• Wear glasses for long flights, especially if you’ll be sleeping. This will help prevent tears to the cornea and eye infections. You can put in your contacts once you land.
• Drink plenty of water so that your eyes stay hydrated.
• Wash your hands before touching your contacts, but don’t handle them in the airplane bathroom. It’s covered in germs. If you drop a contact in the airplane bathroom, it’s safer to throw it out and use a new one. 

Do you have any other tips for traveling with contacts and contact lens solution?