Tim of the TSA blog team actually answered a question about clear care. Note that I am cutting and pasting, I totally think it's silly they would even check it based on the label of clear care, yet you can fill generic bottles with anything you want and they don't even look

RB said…
“If I have a 4 ounce bottle of "Clear Care" brand contact lens solution will it be cleared at screening? What if the same "Clear Care" contact lens solution is only 3 ounces?”

The four ounce bottle will receive additional screening in order to clear screening. Will it make it through? That question is a case by case that depends on test results, and a slue of other factors that can be present at the checkpoint.

If the bottle is under or is 3.4 ounces, the bottle receives x-ray screening, and is still subject to additional screening. For the average passenger, x-ray screening will be the norm. Again, it is a case by case.

While they are not saying it will be taken, they are most certainly not saying it will just breeze through.

I have had travel sized bottles of it taken and just stopped carrying it as I don't need it that often.

They go on to address it several more times in the blog posts, as people kept pushing them


RB said...
“The question dealt with "Clear Care" brand contact lens solution. Will it be permitted or not? Seems an easy question.”

The answer is the same for all brands. There are no guarantees it will pass. If it was guaranteed to pass, then there would be no need for secondary screening for these types of items. Anything that does not pass secondary screening is not permitted to enter the sterile area.

It will be permitted, except when a liquid (in this case "Clear Care") alarms the test for explosives on multiple tests, it will not be allowed past the checkpoint.



From their summer travel tips page http://blog.tsa.gov/2010/05/tsa-2010...avel-tips.html

An Optometrist was asked on his page why it is taken (it's actually taken quite a bit it seems) and he replied

Well, I love good security. I applaud the efforts of TSA and others to keep us safe. BUT, it takes somewhere around 20%-30% peroxide to begin to create an explosion, and even then a little online research shows that the prospects of making a viable bomb are remote. I think our little bottle of Clear Care is quite safe, thank you very much!

and recommends two things. First don't try to hide it, if caught they will think you are smuggling explosives on, and second, if you don't want the hassles, consider one of the alternatives like OptiFree Replenish instead.

Though if you are like me, once you have tried clear care, you probably won't use anything else.

Oh, one hint I picked up along the way. Don't put the case you use the clear care in when cleaning your lens in the baggie. A friendly TSO once told me if they see the case in the baggie, they know the clear care is there and will look for it. Leave the case in the carry on and there is less chance of them realizing you may have clear care.

Don't know if that's true or not, but makes sense to me.