how do I get these into carry on?
 

I'd like to go totally carryon, but two things I can't figure out. One -my contact lens solution and saline. I worry about compromising their sterility if I decant them into smaller bottles. And, of course, 3 oz will not last very long.

The second is mousse. I've never seen small containers. Is there another solution?

I found 2 oz containers of FrizzEase mousse at my local Wal-Mart before my last trip, and contact solution at Walgreens, I believe. You may also check www.minimus.biz - they tend to have more sample sizes than most stores.

Saline doesn't have to fit in the single "3-1-1" baggie. It does have to be in a bag and screened separately, but can be larger than 3 oz just like liquid prescription meds. So saline/contact solution and any prescription liquids/gels would be in a 2nd baggie separate from the "3-1-1" ziplok

As for mousse -- yes, there are small cans available in the travel/sample sizes section of most drugstores/supermarkets. Or - unless you are traveling to the amazon or something they DO sell mousse everywhere I've ever traveled.

The perfect bottle for contact lens solution is in the starter kits your doctor gives you. If you ask your doctor, I'm sure they will give you one with a fresh "travel bottle".

I ended up getting lasik because I like travel and camping, neither of which lend themselves well to either glasses or contacts.

For mousse, just plan on buying a product when you get there. Use as much as you can and either give away or dispose of the remainder before you come home.

robbylea --Thanks so much for the info on small mousse containers. I'll get some to tide me over till I can shop in London.

janisj -- That's very helpful info on the saline and lens solution. Thanks.

I had checked the web site of the solution my doctor wants me to use and found it is in the UK under the name Aosept Plus, but I've had no luck finding it in the only two places I knew to check -- Sainsbury and Boots.

Since then I've read about Tesco, so I'll check here too.

The web site said I should get it at an eye doctor's office!

I agree that you are allowed to carry larger sizes of contact lens solution (the "small" ones I travel with are 4 oz) in a separate plastic bag. I've done that lots of times, both within the US and internationally, with no trouble.

I was about to ask a question like this myself! I have just started using Clear Care for my contacts & realized that it will take many more ounces of that solution than the saline I've been using. Since Clear Care is a hydrogen peroxide solution I wondered if it would be allowed in carryon bags. I just read the TSA info, but I am wondering.

Clear Care counts as a contacts lens solution and could go in the separate ziplock bag along with saline. They have also come out with a 2-oz Clear Care bottle for (short) travel; it's sold two bottles + disinfection case to a box costing about $8-10 (at least here in the DC area).

(cont) I generally figure an 8 oz. bottle of Clear Care or Aosept lasts about a month -- so figure a 2 oz. bottle lasts for a week? I'm about to find out! Am taking three 2-oz bottle to Africa for a 3 week trip....

I tried measuring the amount of solution it takes to fill the Clear Care case to the line & believe it is about 1/2 oz. So at that rate an 8 oz. bottle would have 16 days use.

I have to use liquid Maalox (I think I'm addicted to the stuff). I take a swig at night and I don't have heartburn. Last year when we travelled to Europe I found on the TSA web site, a paragraph that states if you have a liquid that's not prescription, that you really need, put it in a separate ziploc and show it to your TSA agent. They go case by case. I also brought the print out of the paragraph that states this. I got to take my Maalox to Spain and I had stops in ORD, and CDG, before landing in Madrid!

Lately we have been doing carry on only too. The liquids thing is really a problem. I don't know where you are travelling to, but wheat we have been doing for a while is packaging a small box of our stuff and FedExing it to our destination. It is so easy and very convenient. Our package gets to our destination beforfe we do. Since you are only shipping a small box, it is inexpensive as well.

We are coming to USA from UK this Sept and are doing hand luggage only.

I will only take the bare essentials to get me by and will stop off 1st day to a walmart or similar and buy larger items of toilet goods i.e hair spray, deordorant/hair conditioner/perfume etc & cooler bags etc.
Part of fun is shopping in different countries supermarkets IMO.

I have travelled all over the place and Never had a problem in any country of picking up my fav brands.

found the most wonderful smelling shampoo in Paris that way - the kids forgot to pack any so off we went to the Franprix downstairs.

here's a link to some TSA info:

http://www.tsa.gov/311/311-carry-ons.shtm

you're allowed more than 3 oz of KY as well ;)

I noted on the calendar how long a bottle of Clear Care lasted and it was less than a month. I wouldn't worry so much except that I've sometimes had trouble finding Clear Care as we travel here in the States. So I stock up even at home.

sallyky-

Since you're going to London, I can tell you that BOOTS sell this "contact lens solution flight pack" by Bausch & Lomb. It has 2 bottles, each is exactly 100ml. It even comes with a ziploc bag and a plastic lens case.

As others have mentioned, the contact lens solution does NOT have to be less than 3 oz (or 100 ml), I am always nervous about the TSA agents confiscating the bottles (sometimes you just can't argue with them even if they're wrong).

So these days, every time I go to London, I stock up on the "flight pack" and use them on trips. Each 100 ml bottle lasts me about 10-14 days.

I just returned from Greece which uses the same 3-1-1 rules and had a half empty 4oz bottle of saline confiscated. tried to tell them it was exempt, but to no avail. So you can try it, but don't count on it getting through. I recently switched to daily disposables, so I don't even need saline, I just take enought contacts for the amount of days and a small bottle of eye drops.

sallyky

In the UK go to an opticians and ask, they should have a good stock of CL solution.

I was surprised you didn't find it in boots.

I have found sunblock in packages of wipes in the Baby Dept. and insect repellent wipes also to avoid using my alloted 3-1-1 bag space. The face wipes by Dove or Olay are also good.

"In the UK go to an opticians and ask, they should have a good stock of CL solution."

This is what the Ciba Vision web site said to do.I didn't know how easy it would be to find an optician, not wanting to spend a lot of time at it, or whether I'd need any kind of paperwork. Maybe I can google opticians.