FDA flags eye drops at Walmart, Target and other big brands for risk of blindness

Andre Lamar, Delaware News Journal
Updated ·2 min read

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns against buying or using some over-the-counter eye drops from major brands due to potential risk of vision loss.

The FDA issued an alert Monday, updating its list of OTC eye drop products to avoid. The list now includes some products from Walmart, Target and other retailers.

Which eye drops were recalled?

Since Friday, the FDA flagged 27 eye care products from CVS Health, Leader (Cardinal Health), Rugby (Cardinal Health), Rite Aid, Target Up&Up, Velocity Pharma and Walmart.

The FDA recommended the manufacturer of these products recall all lots on Wednesday, Oct. 25, after agency investigators found insanitary conditions in the manufacturing facility. The agency also found positive bacterial test results from environmental sampling of critical drug production areas in the facility, the FDA said.

Walmart, CVS, Rite Aid and Target are removing the products from their store shelves and websites, the agency said, while products branded as Leader, Rugby and Velocity may still be available to purchase in stores and online. Those products shouldn't be purchased, the FDA warned.

FDA warns about 27 eye care products

For a full list of the 27 eye care products the FDA flagged, click here.

The agency warns the recalled eye drops pose a potential risk of eye infection that could result in partial vision loss or blindness.

Patients who have signs or symptoms of an eye infection after using these products should talk to their health care provider or seek medical care immediately, the FDA said.

Eye drop blindness

The FDA has not received any adverse event reports of eye infection associated with these products at this time, the agency said.

The agency encourages health care professionals and patients to report adverse events or quality problems with any medicine to FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program:

  • Complete and submit the report online at Medwatch

  • Or download and complete the form, then submit it via fax at (800)-FDA-0178.

If you have an interesting story idea, email reporter Andre Lamar at alamar@gannett.com. Consider signing up for his weekly newsletter, DO Delaware, at delawareonline.com/newsletters.

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This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Eye drops recalled from Target, Walmart, CVS, Rite Aid, FDA says