contact lens care

Lens Care and Air Travel

BY SUSAN J. GROMACKI, OD, MS, FAAO

The summer vacation season is in full swing. This is the time when we practitioners field the most questions regarding air travel and contact lens care — specifically the United States Transportation Security Administration's most recent requirements regarding carry-on liquids.

The TSA's regulations for liquids are 3-1-1 for carry-ons. That translates to a 3-ounce bottle or less; 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag; 1 bag per passenger placed in screening bin. For more information about the carry-on requirements you can visit tsa.gov/311/index.shtm.

A New Risk

Be aware that some patients have taken to transferring their contact lens multipurpose solutions from their original 12-ounce bottles into random, smaller, plastic containers. This can lead to the inadvertent insertion of a similar looking liquid, such as perfume or hair spray, into the contact lens or eye. The result is severe, painful corneal burns.

In addition, removing the solution from its original sterile bottle contaminates the contents, exponentially increasing the risk for serious eye infection.

As practitioners, we must educate our patients that there is an alternative. Most soft and rigid contact lens sample care kits measure 2 ounces or less. If providing complimentary care systems to those who ask becomes excessive, inform your patients that Bausch & Lomb manufactures 2-ounce bottles of ReNu MultiPlus for commercial sale. At press time, this is the only brand available in this manner.

I do hope that you and yours enjoy a wonderful vacation this summer. Bon voyage! CLS

To obtain references for this article, please visit http://www.clspectrum.com/references.asp and click on document #141.

Dr. Gromacki is a Diplomate in Cornea and Contact Lenses in the American Academy of Optometry. She has a specialty contact lens and post-surgical co-management practice as part of a multi-subspecialty ophthalmology group in Ann Arbor, MI.