FDA eye drop warning overview:
- Who: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned consumers not to purchase or use more than two dozen over-the-counter eye drop products.
- Why: The eye drop manufacturing facility reportedly tested positive for bacteria that can potentially impair vision when applied to the eye.
- Where: The FDA eye drops warning applies throughout the United States.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning to consumers not to purchase or use more than two dozen over-the-counter eye drop products because they may pose a risk of eye infection that could impair vision or cause blindness.
The products included in the FDA eye drop warning include eye drops sold under the following brand names:
- CVS Health
- Equate (Walmart)
- Leader (Cardinal Health)
- Rite Aid
- Rugby (Cardinal Health)
- Target Up & Up
- Velocity Pharma
“These products are intended to be sterile,” the FDA explains in its eye drop warning. “Ophthalmic drug products pose a potential heightened risk of harm to users because drugs applied to the eyes bypass some of the body’s natural defenses.”
Consumers who have experienced signs or symptoms of a potential eye infection after using any of the products included in the FDA eye drops warning should talk to their doctors or seek medical care immediately, the FDA says.
Some products included in warning may still be available for sale, FDA warns
The FDA says it urged the eye drop manufacturer to recall all lots after investigators found the facility to be unsanitary. Environmental sampling of some of the production areas in the facility reportedly tested positive for bacteria.
CVS, Rite Aid, Target and Walmart are removing the potentially contaminated eye drops from their shelves and websites, the FDA says. It warns consumers not to purchase Leader, Rugby and Velocity brand eye drops even though they may still be available to purchase online and in stores.
The FDA notes it has not received any reports of eye infection associated with the potentially contaminated eye drops and urges consumers and health care professionals to report any adverse events or quality issues with eye drops or other medicine to its MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting system.
A full list of the products listed in the FDA eye drops warning is available here.
In related eye drop news, CVS faces a class action lawsuit alleging it falsely advertises certain homeopathic eye drop products as safe and effective even though they cannot deliver the promised results.
What do you think about the FDA eye drop warning? Tell us about it in the comments.
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97 thoughts onFDA warns consumers against using eye drops from many major brands
i been using these all my life and i had to go to the hospital now im blind in one eye
please add me
add me thanks
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Please enclose the Country OF ORIGIN of the eye drops. My information is that all the brands all foreign manufactured!!!
Add me please I used all of these brands and also went to hospital because my corneal got ripped in my eye’s several times. I even got prescription ointment to put in my eye’s both eye’s because it ripped open my eyeball.
I have been using these brand’s for years and I have had eye issues. Itching and burning. Around 7 years ago had to go to the emergency room 3 or 4 times.
Yes add me, I use the brand from WalMart. My eyes itch all the time, its an itch that you can’t seem to make go away it goes away on its own and comes and goes when ever it wants to, unpredictable, but totally a nuisance and painful