2023 FDA Eye Drop Recall: What You Need to Know
Keeping the eyes healthy and vision at its best requires regular checkups and treating issues as early as possible. At Monterey County Eye Associates, we offer a wide range of general eye care treatments to support vision and protect eye health.
For many people, eye drops play a vital role in maintaining eye health but a recent recall of eye drops by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has put a lot of fear and confusion into which eye drops are safe to use.
With this in mind, our team would like to highlight some important things to know about the 2023 FDA eye drop recall affecting our Monterey, CA, Salinas, CA, and King County patients.
Why Have Eye Drops Been Recalled?
In a warning issued by the FDA, consumers have been advised not to purchase or use certain over-the-counter eye drops due to the risk of bacterial contamination that could cause eye infections and result in partial vision loss or blindness.
Bacterial contamination was confirmed upon an FDA investigation into the manufacturing facility producing the recalled eye drops, Kilitch Healthcare India Limited. The agency investigators found that manufacturing conditions were unsanitary. When an environmental sample was taken from drug production areas in the manufacturing facility, they tested positive for bacterial contamination.
While no reports of eye infections, partial vision loss, or blindness from the use of potentially contaminated eye drops have been reported to the FDA, it’s important that consumers stop using and properly discard recalled eye drops to avoid such adverse conditions.
Which Eye Drops Have Been Recalled?
Over 25 over-the-counter eye drops have been recalled by the FDA. These include eye drops sold under brands including:
- CVS Health
- Leader (Cardinal Health)
- Rugby (Harvard Drug Group)
- Rite Aid
- Target Up&Up
- Velocity Pharma LLC
- Walmart Equate
The recalled eye drops are primarily lubricant eye drops but also include dry eye relief, eye irritation relief, and multi-action relief. A full list from the FDA of recalled eye drops can be found here.
Where Were the Recalled Eye Drops Sold?
The recalled eye drops were sold in retailers across the United States, including:
- CVS
- Rite Aid
- Target
- Walmart
Even if you didn’t purchase your eye drops at one of the listed retailers where these products were sold, it’s important to check the FDA’s list of recalled eye drops as brands like Rugby and Leader are sold on Amazon and through other retailers like local pharmacies and drugstores.
What To Do If You Use Eye Drops
The FDA eye drop recall only applies to over-the-counter products and not prescription eye drops. Patients who use prescription eye drops can and should continue to do so until otherwise advised by their doctor.
If you use over-the-counter eye drops, it’s important to check the FDA’s list of recalled eye drops before using the product again. If the eye drops are recalled, stop using them and properly dispose of them.
Schedule a Consultation
If you have questions about which eye drops are right for you or have concerns about your eye health or vision, we welcome you to contact our practice to schedule a consultation at Monterey County Eye Associates.
