testing eye drops
 

on another forum that i belong this was posted


"My DH takes sealed bottles of eyedrops ( for glaucoma) with a prescription. Last year they opened them all and tested them with some chemicals. I completely understand why they were tested, but they do have a limited shelf life once opened.
This year he will be putting some in his case rather than carrying the whole supply"

can they open medication like this and put something in them to test it, would not like to put the drops in my eyes after they have contaminated the drops with an unknown substance

I've dealt with a similar issue before. In the past, they have wanted to test my immune suppressant drugs. Needless to say it escalated quickly.

I'm guess, I'm really hoping here...

IF they absolutely must do this, they should take a sample (a drop) into a separate, clean container and then put whatever test chemicals in that.

Now, from the threads on here, I would assume they test it in the same way that they "test" drinks purchased on the secure side - by holding a strip above the container and allowing the vapor to interact with the strip (and by chasing down everyone in a game of tag rather than periodically testing soft drink dispensers and randomly selected bottled or canned beverages, of course).

I personally would escalate. In the first case, if every screener in every airport "only took one or two drops" you'd be out of medication that you can't just by over the counter and might be very expensive (how DO you explain to your health insurance provider that you lost your medicine from transiting airport security too often?)

Even more important, such medication - especially eye drops - must remain sterile. With all the jostling and apathy of the screeners, it's too high a risk for a gloved/ungloved hand that didn't get washed in the bathroom and touched a hundred other passengers, coming into contact with the tip of the eye drops. That could spell serious infection.

I would escalate, escalate, escalate. The label on the bottle is proof enough, and certainly if you have a full copy of the prescription/doctor's note.

Glaucoma is a serious disease - blindness isn't worth the risk. This is just another example of how TSA actively makes our lives more dangerous.

^

This is especially baffling if the drops are sealed. I've taken through sealed food and drinks before, I've never had them blink an eye. I've specifically asked them if sealed items were an issue, and the TSOs have always said that if it is factory sealed it is not an issue. I don't know why medicine would be any different.

I would love it if they told me they needed to test my sterile side drink. I would chug it, hand them the empty and walk away. Couldn't do that with a Starbuck's hot coffee, though.

Spot on about the glaucoma. My Father-in-law used multiple expensive prescripted drops to control his.

Can they? Apparently, yes. Should they? No.
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtrav...rial_1059.shtm

This activity of the TSA is an absolute proof of security theater. There is no strip test available to detect peroxides (their big worry behind the liquid restrictions) by holding a test strip above the solution. Peroxides are simply not volatile enough (and test strips not sensitive enough) to be detected in this manner.

I am stating this as a specialized professional.

Sealed food, maybe. Sealed drinks over 3.3 Oz are prohibited unless there is a medical need. I have had a canned Coke accidentally left in my backpack surrendered on a few occasions. Try it with a half-pint of Maker's Mark and let me know how it goes.

I'm not used to seeing eye drops in containers >3 oz (and wouldn't expect larger than that if multiple containers are being brought on a trip). I'd just put them in the quart sized container and then they aren't supposed to have to do any testing.

I use 'single serve' eye drops on occasion. Those things CAN'T be resealed, but are obviously <<3oz, so I'd have them in my quart bag. If they had to open them, it's as good as confiscating them.

Ridiculous. They are medical, he has a prescription, and opening them limits the life. AND they are violating the sterility of something that goes into your EYE. Definitely escalate!

I've never seen them randomly test people's drinks on the sterile side. I have, however, seen a TSO go ballistic on a poor, unsuspecting passenger who had their own water bottle filled during a gate check. Apparently the concept of filling your empty bottle at a water fountain is foreign to them, as they wanted to know how the bottle had made it through security before making the usual "I'll remember you" threat and confiscating the bottle.

For the record, it was a 32 oz. Nalgene. Very nice bottle. Makes you wonder if the TSO was going hiking that weekend.

Ever seen a TSA employee who looked capable of "hiking?"

I haven't.

For my eyedrops TSA person held a strip over the opening then put what looked like water on the strip, nothing was put in my eye drops.

^