For those of us who wear contact lenses, packing for a trip always comes with a unique little puzzle: how much contact solution do I need to pack? This seemingly simple question often leads to a delightful dance between TSA regulations, personal hygiene habits, and the ever-present fear of running out in a foreign land and needing to prioritize a trip to the store after landing.
My go-to solution for years has been Clear Care, with its satisfying bubbling action. However, finding travel-sized bottles of Clear Care has become increasingly difficult lately. This scarcity has led me to explore alternatives, and my current preferred travel companion is BioTrue. BioTrue conveniently comes in 2 oz and 4 oz travel sizes, which immediately brings up the classic TSA liquid limit dilemma: 3.4 oz for carry-ons. While contact solution technically falls under medical necessities and you can declare a larger bottle, I prefer to keep things simple and stick to the travel-sized regulations to avoid any extra hassle at security.
But here’s the real head-scratcher: how much does a 2 oz bottle actually get you? Why don’t these manufacturers give us a rough “serving size” equivalent, like “this 2 oz bottle provides X nights of use”? It’s a mystery that plagues every contact lens wearer on the go! Do I need one 2 oz bottle for a two-week trip, or two?
On a recent two-week adventure, I decided to conduct my own highly scientific experiment. I purchased two 2 oz bottles of BioTrue, determined to track every drop. My methodology was simple: I counted each night’s use based on filling the provided contact lens container. Additionally, I also weighed the bottle three times: brand new, after my trip, and when the bottle was empty.
The Verdict: After 13 nights away, one 2 oz bottle still had a little liquid left! I managed to squeeze out three more uses once I got home, bringing the grand total to 16 uses (or nights).
As for how many ounces it used, the bottle as it came out of the box with the seal was 2.7 oz. After 13 nights the bottle was 1.0 oz, and when the bottle was completely empty it weighed 0.50 oz. So 2.7full – 0.50empty is 2.25 ounces of liquid. This means each use was 0.140625 ounces. So one week away would be just about 1 ounce of just liquid in the cup holders.
A crucial caveat: This count does NOT include the rubbing and rinsing steps that contact solution instructions typically recommend. If you diligently follow those steps, you will undoubtedly use more liquid per night, and therefore get fewer than 16 uses from a 2 oz bottle. My personal routine often leans towards just filling the case, a habit born of travel efficiency (and sometimes pure exhaustion!).
So, what does this tell us? I am happy I now have an estimate for my future travels. For a two-week trip (14 nights), one 2 oz bottle could suffice if you’re like me and primarily just fill the case. However, if you adhere strictly to the rubbing and rinsing guidelines, you’d likely fall short and would definitely need a second 2 oz bottle (or a larger one) to comfortably last two weeks.
Brands, bottles, and containers all vary, so I’d recommend you test your favorites too.