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What’s going on with OTC eye drops?

Scroll down for all major new FDA warnings since January 2023

February 27, 2024

FDA issues Warning Letter to Amman Pharmaceutical Industries over extensive OTC ophthalmic drugs (recalls anticipated)

Brands/Products: FDA does not list the products in the Warning Letter, but Dry Eye Foundation has determined that they include TRP (“The Relief Products”) brand eye drops as well as other brands.

According to the Warning Letter, the company will “recall all drug products and suspend production of all drugs for the U.S. market.”

February 27, 2024

FDA issues warning letter to LightEyez for more than 10 Eye Drops due to “Gross Microbial Contamination”

LightEyez makes (among other things) many eye drops that claim to change one’s eye color. Dry Eye Foundation reported this UK-based company to FDA in June, 2023.

FDA tested one or more of their products and engaged in dialogue with the company. According to the Warning Letter, in August 2023 the company promised to recall their products, but didn’t and then stopped responding to the FDA.

February 26, 2024

Nationwide recall of 4 eye ointments due to potential lack of sterility

Brands/Products: Equate Lubricant Eye Ointment, Equate Stye Lubricant Eye Ointment, CVS Health Lubricant Eye Ointment, AACE Lubricant PM Ointment

January 31, 2024

FDA warns about 3 Bausch & Lomb Lumify “copycat” products: South Moon, Rebright, Fivfivgo due to contamination risks

FDA warns consumers not to purchase or use South Moon, Rebright or FivFivGo eye drops because of the potential risk of eye infection. These unapproved products are designed to copycat Bausch and Lomb’s Lumify Redness Relieving Drops. The FDA found one brand, South Moon, to be contaminated with Burkholderia cepacia complex.

The Dry Eye Foundation reported these drops to the FDA in 2023 after discovering them for sale on Walmart.com and other ecommerce sites.

The origin of these products is currently unknown to the FDA. While the FDA has not received any adverse event reports related to these product names, the agency has received complaints related to possibly fake Lumify, including product quality concerns, eye irritation, pain and infection.

December 15, 2023

Regener-Eyes manufacturer cited by FDA for extensive violations

Brand/Products: Regener-Eyes Lite, Regener-Eyes Pro

Dry Eye Foundation obtained the FDA’s inspection report through a FOIA request.

December 1, 2023

FDA issues Warning Letter to Belmont Eyecare LLC regarding 6 eye drops

Brand/Products: Ashland Eye Care Colloidal Silver Eye Drops, MSM Eye Drops, Organic Daytime Oil Eye Drops, and Organic Evening Oil Eye Drops.

November 14, 2023

FDA issues Warning Letter to Amazon.com regarding 7 products

Products: Similasan Pink Eye Relief, The Goodbye Company Pink Eye, Can-C Eye Drops, Optique 1 Eye Drops, OcluMed Eye Drops, TRP Natural Eye Floaters Relief, Manzanilla Sophia Chamomile Herbal Eye Drops

FDA reported Can-C, Optique 1, OcluMed and Manzanilla to FDA in 2023.

See also September 12, 2023 notice.

November 14, 2023

FDA issues Warning Letter to Global Pharma regarding 3 products

Brands/Products: EZRICARE Artificial Tears, Delsam Pharma’s ARTIFICIAL TEARS, and Delsam Pharma’s ARTIFICIAL EYE OINTMENT

This warning letter is a follow-up from the FDA’s inspection of Global Pharma in February/March after the tragic outbreak of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections. Among other things, this letter provides the first public confirmation that Pseudomonas aeruginosa was found in intact bottles of the Artificial Tears products manufactured by Global Pharma.

November 1, 2023

Nationwide recall, 2 Rugby Products, due to potential risk of eye infections

Products: Rugby brand Polyvinyl Alcohol 1.4%; Dextran/Hypromellose, 0.1%/0.3%

November 1, 2023

Nationwide recall, 6 eye erops, due to potential eye infections

Brand/Products: Leader brand Eye Irritation Relief, Dry Eye Relief (CMC 1%), Lubricant Eye Drops (single and twin packs), Dry Eye Relief (Polyethylene Glycol 400 0.4% and Propylene Glycol 0.3%), Lubricant Eye Drops (Propylene Glycol, 0.6%)

October 30, 2023

FDA issues Warning Letter to Dexterity Health re: MSM Drops

Brand/Product: Dexterity Health Liquid MSM Drops

Dry Eye Foundation reported this product to FDA in June 2023.

October 27, 2023

FDA issues Public Warning about 28 eye erops sold under 7 brands

  • CVS Health - 9 products

  • Rugby (Cardinal Health) - 2 products

  • Leader (Cardinal Health) - 5 products

  • Rite Aid - 6 products

  • Target Up&Up - 3 products

  • Velocity Pharma - 1 product

  • Walmart Equate - 1 product

September 12, 2023

FDA issues Warning Letters to 8 companies about 38 eye drops

As part of increased enforcement action on over-the-counter drug manufacturing and marketing violations, FDA issued a news release about the publication of Warning Letters sent to 8 more companies about a total of 38 products. Violations included manufacturing facility violations, failure to seek drug approval, and making drug product claims, among others.

August 30, 2023

Nationwide recall of 2 eye drops due to bacterial and fungal contamination

Brand/Products: Dr. Berne’s MSM Drops 5% and 15% Solution Eye Drops

August 22, 2023

Consumers warned not to purchase or use certain MSM eye drops due to contamination

Brands/Products: Dr. Berne’s MSM Drops 5%, LightEyez MSM Eye Drops - Eye Repair

April 30, 2023

Public Safety Notification on Amniotic Fluid Eye Drops

Brands/Products: Regener-Eyes Lite, Regener-Eyes PRO and StimulEyes

This notification is in relation to Regener-Eyes and StimulEyes. StimulEyes was removed from the market by its distributor shortly this notice was published by the FDA.

March 3, 2023

Worldwide recall (1 eye drop) due to non-sterility

Brand/Product: Purely Soothing 15% MSM Drops

February 2, 2023

Nationwide recall (3 products) due to possible contamination

Brands/Products: EzriCare Artificial Tears, Delsam Pharma Artificial Tears, Delsam Pharma Artificial Eye Ointment

Shortly after the CDC issued a Health Advisory about treatment-resistant infections linked to EzriCare Artificial Tears, Global Pharma announced the recall of these two identical artificial tear products. CDC later published an update stating that as of May 15, 4 patients had died, 14 experienced vision loss and an additional 4 had to have enucleation (surgical removal of an eyeball).