The FDA is warning consumers to immediately stop using 26 eye drop products that may cause infections, blindness, or even death.
The warning involves 26 over-the-counter products, including eye drops sold by major retailers like CVS, Rite Aid, Walmart, and Target.
On October 27, the FDA warned consumers that inspectors found unsanitary conditions in the facilities where the eye drops were manufactured, including bacteria in “critical drug production areas.”
On October 30, the FDA update the list of over-the-counter eye drop products that consumers should not use to also include Walmart’s Equate Hydration PF Lubricant Eye Drop (10 mL).
There were no reports of any eye infections linked to the eye drops, but the FDA warned about a “potential risk of eye infections that could result in partial vision loss or blindness.”
The warning comes just a few months after 4 people died and more than 80 others were infected with dangerous Pseudomonas bacteria in eye drops made by EzriCare.
The FDA is now warning about eye drops that are marketed under the following brand-names:
- CVS Health
- Rite Aid
- Target Up & Up
- Walmart Equate
- Leader (Cardinal Health)
- Rugby (Cardinal Health)
- Velocity Pharma
CVS, Rite Aid, and Target are pulling the eye drops off store shelves. Other products made by Leader, Rugby, and Velocity “may still be available to purchase in stores and online and should not be purchased,” according to the FDA.