My husband and I are headed to Las Vegas to visit our middle daughter over the upcoming Labor Day weekend, and we’re trying out a discount airline for the first time. Given that I am allowed a personal item only for a five-day trip, I need to minimize what I pack in all areas, including scleral supplies.
I had originally intended to take a PROSE case and five Aplicare 1-oz. hydrogen peroxide packets for disinfection. But after booking, I happened to notice a Facebook post on the Scleral Lens Education Society page about what appeared to be a smaller scleral lens case. When I was unable to find a place to purchase it, I Googled the original poster and contacted him through his clinic. He sent me this link.
I also ordered a DMV Versa combination inserter/remover, because that’s one less thing, right? It is available from the Dry Eye Shop or Amazon.
I have performed a trial run of both products. The only downside to the Versa device is that it is solid rather than hollow like the Vented Scleral Cup inserter I am used to. The suction cup side is exactly like the DMV Ultra Hard Contact Lens Remover that I generally use. The Versa doesn’t save that much space, though, so I don’t know that I would buy it again.
I am cautiously optimistic about the new scleral case. As you can see in the photo below, it falls in size between the PROSE case and the ClearCare case. Some time ago I measured the amount of ClearCare that it takes to fill a PROSE case (1 ounce) compared to a ClearCare case (⅓ ounce). The new scleral case takes ½ ounce. The jar is shorter than the PROSE case and designed with slots that the lens baskets slide into, so the diameter can be smaller and require less fluid. The lens baskets are large enough to accommodate my 19mm LaserFit lenses. However the baskets (particularly the clips that keep them closed) seem fragile and I don’t know how well they will stand up to repeated use. I may reserve it solely for travel.
Since the new scleral case requires half as much fluid as the PROSE case, a single travel size ClearCare bottle will last the duration of my upcoming trip. I will also take a backup pair of lenses in a flat case. I have just enough Nutrifill vials to last through this trip. I am also packing a few normal saline IV flush syringes for rinsing, the Versa inserter/remover, a few alcohol prep pads, nighttime ointments, a cleaning sponge saturated with cleaning solution, and a drain cover. This all fits nicely in a 3-1-1 size bag. I think I’m ready!
Thank you Sarah for posting this information.
For overseas trips have you ever had the contents of your carry on scleral travel kit examined and questioned?
I am thinking particularly of the hydrogen peroxide which is considered an explosive.
I’ve never had the contents examined, but one time a TSA agent told me I had too many liquids to carry on. I explained that some were medical liquids and I had a letter from my eye doctor, but she reiterated that there were too many. The supervisor happened to overhear and informed her that all of the liquids were under 3.4 ounces and waved me through. Since that event, I have put my regular liquids in one TSA bin and my medical liquids in a separate bin and have not been questioned since.