My contacts are medically necessary. I have keratoconus. I have a letter from my doctor (to my insurance company) stating that the contacts are medically necessary.

Not that TSA needs to know this. I don't carry this letter with me.

I carry a small bottle of contact solution, cleaner, and rewetting drops with me whenever I fly. I keep these in a separate bag. I have never had a problem traveling with contact lens care supplies - but mine are always the small bottles (my doctor knows I fly a lot and gives me plenty of free samples). I've just avoided carrying Clear Care in my carry-on for 2 reasons - 1) because I know people who have had their's confiscated (it's hydrogen peroxide) and 2) because the little jar with the catalyst for treating the lenses has vent holes in it and the solution would all leak out if I were to use this brand when traveling TATL - I do take my contacts out on long flights.

Doctor LuvAirFrance strikes again!

If you read up on keratoconus you will find that contacts are not "just a convenience substitute" for glasses but often the only option. Perhaps medicine is best left to doctors and patients, and not to third parties, unless that third party happens to be paying for the care.

Ship a gallon, or whatever you need, in your checked baggage. Refill the bottle in your carryon from the bottle in your checked baggage as necessary. If you need more than one 3 ounce bottle during your flight, take several.

Simple.

Yes. Happens all the time. LEO, Ditch workers, fast food, WalMart, UPS, USPS, name it. An MD has authority only in his specific area, and while the MD may prescribe some things for folks, that is not a guarantee that what is in the bottle is what is prescribed. Should we take the passengers word for what is in there? Or wouldn’t it make more sense to verify, or at least test for prohibited substances?

Is that official TSA policy regarding medically necessary liquids?

Your trying to parse words. I clearly meant to overrule and MD's medical decision. A TSA employee, unless a doctor also, does not have the qualifications to do such.

If the item is in a sterile sealed bottle then I would not be ok with TSA opening and contaminating the medical item. If you can swab the outside then I would not have a problem with that. If TSA had ETP machines then this problem would be simplified greatly.

If this liquid explosive thing is such a big threat tell me just how many liquid explosives TSA has intercepted at United States checkpoints since the liquid restrictions went into effect?

I frankly prefer to listen to the advice of the medical professionals.

No chemistry lab needed. Just ETD/ETP.


Nobody that knows anything about commercial air travel puts medical necessities into checked bags.

So, one six-ounce bottle of contact lens solution is "potentially dangerous" and must be handled with special procedures, while two three-ounce bottles are "safe" and do not need to be handled with special procedures.

Yeah, that makes sense. :rolleyes:

Seems TSORon is in need of some remedial training (bolding mine):

You may bring all prescription and over-the-counter medications (liquids, gels, and aerosols) including petroleum jelly, eye drops, and saline solution for medical purposes.

Additional items you may bring include:

* Liquids including water, juice, or liquid nutrition or gels for passengers with a disability or medical condition;
* Life-support and life-sustaining liquids such as bone marrow, blood products, and transplant organs;
* Items used to augment the body for medical or cosmetic reasons such as mastectomy products, prosthetic breasts, bras or shells containing gels, saline solution, or other liquids; and,
* Gels or frozen liquids needed to cool disability or medically related items used by persons with disabilities or medical conditions.

You are not limited in the amount or volume of these items you may bring in your carry-on baggage. BUT if the medically necessary items exceed 3 ounces or are not contained in a one-quart, zip-top plastic bag, you MUST declare to one of our Security Officers at the checkpoint for further inspection.

For more information on these measures, please read our memo outlining our policy. Changes in Allowances for Persons with Disabilities at Airport Security Checkpoints (PDF, 101 KB)

I'm sure that as an official spokesperson for TSA TSORon knows all of that.

Besides, he is a security expert!!:p

So, do you not recognize the TSA's policy on the medical liquid exemption, or do you have a LuvAirFrance-like position that the medical liquid exemption is not necessary because there are workarounds, or something else?

I am confused by this post as compared with your earlier posts in this thread that recognize the medical liquid exemption.

Ya know, I wonder if TSOs should get a handful of airline buddy passes every year so they can see what it's like out there. :p

Now who’s parsing words?

A TSA employee has the qualification to determine if a substance is prohibited, an MD does not. It does not matter who’s it is, or what circumstances under which the owner received it, if it is prohibited then we cannot allow it into the sterile area.

If the medical liquid is larger than 3.4 ounces then it must be tested. No matter the condition it is in or its intent. If there is concern with that then you are more than welcome to use another method to transport the item.

ETP systems were tried, and did not work out in the checkpoint environment. Using a bit of equipment that does not work is worse than not having it at all.

That’s because your not paying attention.

I know about the medical exemption, all about it. The exemption does not exempt the liquid from testing, only from the 3.4 ounce rule. Does that help?

Thats because you dont know what your talking about, and I do. :D

Just wow, LuvAirFrance. You usually seem sensible. I wear both contacts and regular glasses just to get to the point where I can see well enough not to be legally blind.

I can do without the framed glasses if necessary (although then I would be helpless as to knowing which pills and medications I need to take - and I've had DVT once, nearly died, wish not to have it again), but I can't do without my contacts while flying. Indeed, my doctors have worked pretty hard to find the kinds of contacts that I can wear for an extended period (with eyedrops, including an RX eyedrop in case of specific problems I've had in the past).

I've had trouble with my eyes since childhood. I'm surprised that you don't know people with serious vision problems requiring contact lenses - it's really rather common.

So I need both contacts and framed glasses at the same time - how about that! Even then, it's difficult for me to read small print.

Yes and I believe it was TSA incompetence that they could not be made to work.

Did you have any duties related to ETP?

I was; you response to Loren Pechtel confused the issue.

That clears up your position.

You never answered my question about what kind of test is done-- can you? I don't need a scientific answer, simply "ETD" or "expensive paper test strips" or some other vague description of the test will do.