Traveling when you have glaucoma is safe in most instances, but you’ll also need to know how to safely and conveniently carry your medications, which should always be easily accessible. Here, glaucoma specialist Gloria P. Fleming, M.D. provides practical advice on packing your eye drops and maintaining a routine whether you’re in the air or on the road.*

Air and general travel tips

Traveling by air travel presents unique considerations. Fleming offers a number of suggestions, some applicable to traveling in general.

• Pack medications in your carry-on so they’ll be accessible if your luggage is delayed or goes missing. “All prescription medications are permitted in carry-on bags, even those in liquid form.”
• Pack extra medications should your flight be delayed or you become stranded. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) says there’s no limit to the quantity of medication you can store in your carry-on.
• Keep prescription medications in their original bottles. Though not required by the TSA, certain states have prescription labeling laws and you need to be in compliance. Similarly, TSA advises that your prescription labels and boarding pass have the same name (though not required).
• Inform the TSA officer at the start of screening that you have medically required liquids. You don’t need to pack the medications in 3-ounce containers or 1-quart, zip-lock bags, as with all other liquids. That said, the liquids will undergo added screening, usually by X-ray, so be sure to separate them. (You can request a visual inspection instead, but need to ask before scanning takes place.)
• Artificial tears may be helpful for a long flight, since cabin air tends to be dry.

Fleming also suggests taking along documentation, like a doctor’s note, for international travel.

Check medication storage instructions

Check the eye drop manufacturer’s instructions regarding storage temperature, and/or contact your doctor or pharmacist before traveling. 

When planning a trip, be sure to check your eye drop manufacturer’s storage instructions and/or check with your doctor or pharmacist regarding medication storage. Most manufacturers advise storing medications at 59-86° Fahrenheit, says Fleming. She says eye drops should be fine in hot destinations so long as they’re not exposed to “extremely hot” temperatures for more than several days.

Certain eye drops, however, like latanoprost, may require refrigeration in order to remain safe and retain their potency. Options for traveling with medications that need refrigeration include:

• Using a carrying case that doubles as a cooler, or 

• Packing the medications inside a hard-lined container, then: 
  • Placing the container inside an insulated cooler with ice packs, and
  • Putting the cooler inside your carry-on bag, if traveling by plane

If traveling by plane, ask your doctor if you may need to administer eye drops before takeoff and landing to maintain normal eye pressure amidst changes in cabin pressure.

Sticking to a routine

Time zone changes can affect your normal eye drop routine. 

• For shorter trips, Fleming says to consider staying on “home time” and continuing with eye drops as usual.
• For longer trips, she recommends shifting your eye drop schedule to the new time zone.

A one- or two-hour change in your normal routine is acceptable, says Fleming. Just try to keep the same time span between doses and don’t double-up on doses.

Setting reminders may also help to:

• Keep you on top of your daily doses, and
• Track medications on a portable calendar, smartphone, sticky note in your wallet, etc., marking off each dose you’ve taken.

*Fleming, G. P. (2022, March 10). Tips for Traveling with Glaucoma Medications. Glaucoma Research Foundation. https://glaucoma.org/tips-for-traveling-with-glaucoma-medications