I wear rigid gas-permeable lenses (my eyesight is really really bad). I would argue that for me contacts are a medical necessity, as they do a far better job correcting my eyesight than even a new pair of glasses. (If you don't have poor vision this is hard to appreciate...without correction I literally cannot identify a person standing a few feet away from me).

Normal saline doesn't work well with these lenses, I need to use a (relatively) hard to find product to keep them tolerable. I always travel with the solution as a carry-on and never declare it.

What I usually do is grab one of the little circular bins that are on top of the xray machine and toss my contact gear in there. Occasionally (<10%) it gets glanced at but I've never had it taken away or even verbally questioned about it.

Now if I were traveling with a gigantic bottle that might be different, but these bottles are not usually above 4-5 oz.

I can´t vouch for EU, but I can for most of South America - no such thing. Therefore, the TSA can´t ask for it.

Exactly. I've been carrying a 12 oz bottle of all-in-one solution through security twice weekly for several years now. There was a time when I'd get hassled periodically (maybe 10-15% of the time) but I haven't had a single issue with this in at least two years.

Even the smaller airports that scrutinize my Kippie bag for > 3 oz. items seem to have gotten the message on contact solution. It's allowed in regular-sized containers, period.

Large bottles of Clear Care solution is not allowed in carry on (I've never had a problem with the small bottles < 4 oz). When I tried to bring through a large bottle (declared) at TUS last December, I was told it was not allowed because it set off their explosive testing system. I let them keep it.

As for medically necessary, if you don't clean your contacts once a day, you can develop some nasty things (as my optometrist reminds me every time I see him). So, if you wear contacts, I'd say it's medically necessary.

TSA is just not allowed to dispute your assertion that it is medically necessary. If I were you, I'd listen to what other contact wearers are telling you, but FWIW, here's my $0.02

I'm neither a lawyer nor a contact wearer, and have no personal experience in this, but on a related topic, when it comes to my shoes and the inserts I wear for plantars fasciitis, no TSA screener is invited to practice medicine.

I tell them I cannot remove my shoes, I do not remove my shoes, if they want to know why they get "medical necessity" and not one more word. I get wanding and a swab and off I go. Works 100% of the time, almost never get any attitude, either.

Declare the big bottle, no kippie bag, and tell them it's a medical necessity. Leave a little extra time for security, and do not allow a TSA to engage in medical science until they show you their degree from an accredited medical school.

Just went through MSP with second baggie of 'medical' liquids, including a 4oz bottle of clear care. They asked why two baggies, I stated medicines, they swabbed the bottles of clear care & saline solution and I was free to go.:D

Just a quick word of advice: I do not recommend packing contact lens solution in your checked bag. It could very well get crushed or spill open during the rough handling. Always pack it in your carry-on.

I had a flask of contact lens solution confiscated/stolen from me by security at LHR T5 despite my insisting it was a medical product. On my next visit to a doctor (it wasn't even an opthamologist), I got him to write me a prescription for the product, which stays with my travel papers. I also now trim off the bit of the label where it says how big the flask is, just to confuse the idiots.

Your eye doctor likely has sample size bottles of whatever kind of lens care you use and are usually happy to give them to you. Personally I keep a couple of small (3.4 oz.) bottles that I got from my eye doctor and I refill them from the large bottle. Despite the predictions I have read here of the world spinning off it's axis and my eyes falling out due to this practice, after six years of doing it I can see just fine thank you.

If it is claimed as a medical necessity then it is required to be tested. If it fails the test then it does not enter the sterile area. If it passes the test, then it passes into the sterile area. Pretty simple, right?

agreed, but you also forgot "screener discretion" which imho translates to "i said it's not going thru security" which imho translates to "i don't have to follow the sop and test it, i said it's not going thru security". no offense (and no need to duck ;)) ron, but it does happen. not saying it's right or wrong but it does happen (well ok, a little wrong ;))

Got it, Ron. That is simple. Now how does Faisal Shahzad pass into the sterile area? :confused:

Ron, that was my understanding as well (although my oversize bottle has never been tested); however, TSO1973 said to check the larger bottle, which is why I posed the question, which he has not yet responded to.

Whoa there Tex. How do you perform this "test?"

Not ducking, that’s just the way its supposed to be. Its the way I do it, because that’s what I am trained to do. I get paid the same weather I am testing them or not, and I might not get paid at all if I get fired for not testing them, so I do what I am paid for. In the end it turns out that wanting to continue to get a paycheck is safer for the passengers. Imagine that! :D

Thats another thread. Read your answer there.

Carefully, with precision, and as directed by the SSI SOP. :D