Federal regulators are warning consumers to stop using a number of over-the-counter eye drops that may pose an infection risk, the latest of several warnings this year. Against artificial tears.
The notice applies to 26 eye drop products sold under the Leader, Rugby and Velocity Pharma brands, as well as multiple store brands including CVS Health, Rite Aid and Target Up & Up.food and drug administration Said Friday. Eye drops can contain bacteria that can cause eye infections and blindness, authorities said.
The FDA said it has not received any reports of infections from consumers who used the suspect products. However, authorities are advising manufacturers to remove all potentially contaminated products from store shelves.
According to the FDA, federal investigators found harmful bacteria and “unsanitary conditions” at a manufacturing facility that makes some eye drops.
agency prompted Consumers who purchased and discarded potentially contaminated eye drops. The FDA said consumers who believe they have had an adverse reaction to a lubricant should report their concerns to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting Agency. program.
The alert fires after a series of eye drops recall The FDA made the announcement earlier this year after federal health inspectors found evidence that some products were contaminated with a dangerous drug-resistant bacteria known as Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Eye drops contaminated with bacteria can lead to death. at least 4 peopledozens more affected in 18 states, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data indicates.
“This is upsetting for several reasons,” Teresa Murray, consumer watchdog for the U.S. PIRG Education Fund, said in a statement. “First, prior to this FDA warning, there had been three major eye drop recalls this year due to bacterial contamination or unsterilized product. Why didn’t the FDA discover this broader problem? Did it take this long?”
“Second, this demonstrates the need for FDA to have the authority to recall unsafe prescription and over-the-counter drugs if companies (such as this eye drop maker) refuse to cooperate in a timely manner,” she said. added.
The FDA’s latest warning applies to the following eye drop products sold throughout the United States.
|
Retailer/Label |
product |
Product information |
|
CVS Health |
Lubricating eye drops 15ml (1 packet) |
Carboxymethylcellulose sodium ophthalmic solution 0.5% w/v |
|
Lubricating eye drops 15ml (twin pack) |
Carboxymethylcellulose sodium ophthalmic solution 0.5% w/v |
|
|
Lubricating gel drops 15ml (single pack) |
Carboxymethylcellulose sodium ophthalmic solution 1% w/v |
|
|
Lubricating Gel Drops 15 ml (twin pack) |
Carboxymethylcellulose sodium ophthalmic solution 1% w/v |
|
|
Multi-Action Relief Drops 15ml |
Polyvinyl Alcohol 0.5% w/v & Povidone 0.6% w/v & Tetrahydrozoline Hydrochloride 0.05% Eye Drops |
|
|
Lubricating gel drop 10ml |
Polyethylene Glycol 400 0.4% & Propylene Glycol 0.3% Eye Drops |
|
|
Lubricating eye drops 10ml (1 packet) |
Propylene glycol ophthalmic solution 0.6% w/v |
|
|
Lubricating eye drops 10ml (2 pack) |
Propylene glycol ophthalmic solution 0.6% w/v |
|
|
Mild moderate lubricating eye drops 15ml (1 packet) |
Polyethylene glycol 400 ophthalmic solution ‘0.25% w/v |
|
|
Rugby (Cardinal Health) |
Lubricating tear eye drops 15 ml |
Hypromellose 2910-0.3% w/v & Dextran 70- 0.1% Eye Drops |
|
Polyvinyl alcohol 1.4% lubricating eye drops 15 ml |
Polyvinyl alcohol eye drops 1.4% w/v |
|
|
Leader (Cardinal Health) |
dry eye relief 10ml |
Polyethylene Glycol 400 0.4% & Propylene Glycol 0.3% Eye Drops |
|
Lubricating eye drops 15ml (1 packet) |
Carboxymethylcellulose sodium ophthalmic solution 0.5% w/v |
|
|
Lubricating eye drops 15ml (twin pack) |
Carboxymethylcellulose sodium ophthalmic solution 0.5% w/v |
|
|
dry eye relief 15ml |
Carboxymethylcellulose sodium ophthalmic solution 1% w/v |
|
|
Relieve eye inflammation 15 ml |
Polyvinyl Alcohol 0.5% w/v & Povidone 0.6% w/v & Tetrahydrozoline Hydrochloride 0.05% Eye Drops |
|
|
Rite aid |
Lubricating eye drops 15ml (twin pack) |
Carboxymethylcellulose sodium ophthalmic solution 0.5% w/v |
|
Lubricating eye drops 10ml (2 pack) |
Propylene glycol ophthalmic solution 0.6% w/v |
|
|
Gentle Lubricating Gel Eye Drops 15 ml |
Hypromellose 0.3%, Glycerin 0.2%, Dextran 70 0.1% Eye Drops |
|
|
Lubricating gel drop 15ml |
Carboxymethylcellulose sodium ophthalmic solution 1% w/v |
|
|
Lubricating gel drop 10ml |
Polyethylene Glycol 400 0.4% & Propylene Glycol 0.3% Eye Drops |
|
|
Multi-Action Relief Drops 15ml |
Polyvinyl Alcohol 0.5% w/v & Povidone 0.6% w/v & Tetrahydrozoline Hydrochloride 0.05% Eye Drops |
|
|
the goal |
Up & Up Dry Eye Relief Lubricating Eye Drops 30ml |
Polyethylene Glycol 400 0.4% & Propylene Glycol 0.3% Eye Drops |
|
Up & Up Extreme Relief Dry Eye 15ml (Single Pack) |
Polyethylene Glycol 400 0.4% & Propylene Glycol 0.3% Eye Drops |
|
|
Up & Up Extreme Relief Dry Eye 30ml (Twin Pack) |
Carboxymethylcellulose sodium ophthalmic solution 0.5% w/v |
|
|
Velocity Pharma LLC |
Lubricating eye drops 10ml (pack of 3) |
Propylene glycol ophthalmic solution 0.6% w/v |
