How to Check if Your Eye Drops Have Been Recalled Due to Contamination

Several companies have recently issued recalls for contaminated eye drops. These eye drops can present severe risks—including the risk of total vision loss due to infections—so it is important to know if your eye drops have been recalled.

So, how can you check?

Check the FDA’s Recall Database

The easiest way to check for a recall is to search the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) recall database. If you type “eye drops” into the search bar, you will immediately see a list of recalls—including a recall issued by Pharmedica USA LLC for its Purely Soothing brand of eye drops earlier this year, as well as recalls as recent as October 2023.

However, if you have concerns about a particular brand of eye drops, you should enter the brand name into the search bar instead. For example, the recent recall issued by Apotex Corp. of its Apotex brand eye drops does now show up in the list of search results for the generic term “eye drops.” This is because the product description in the FDA’s database is listed as “Brimonidine Tartrate Ophthalmic Solution, 0.15%,” rather than simply “eye drops” or “drops.”

Also, keep in mind that while the FDA’s recall database is relatively up to date, it is possible that a company may have issued a recall that doesn’t yet show up in the database. In other words, even if you search the database and nothing comes up, there is still a possibility that your eye drops could be subject to a recall.

Talk to a Products Liability Lawyer

If you aren’t able to find any information in the FDA’s recall database but still have concerns about your eye drops, you can also talk to a products liability lawyer. Products liability law holds manufacturers responsible for selling dangerous and defective products—including contaminated eye drops. A lawyer who handles these types of cases may be familiar with a recall affecting your eye drops even if it doesn’t show up yet on the FDA’s website.

When you talk to a products liability lawyer, your lawyer can also determine if you have a claim regardless of whether your eye drops have been recalled. While recalls are fairly common, a recall isn’t necessary to file a claim. If your eye drops were contaminated, it doesn’t matter whether they are subject to a recall. You have clear legal rights, and an experienced products liability lawyer will be able to assert your legal rights on your behalf.

5 Examples of Eye Drop Recalls

We’ve also compiled information on some of this year’s eye drop recalls below. If you have used any of these eye drops and experienced an infection or other adverse consequences as a result, we encourage you to contact us to find out if you have a claim:

1. Apotex (Apotex Corp.)

Apotex Corp. issued a recall for its Apotex brand eye drops on March 2, 2023. The recall notice states that the company is issuing the recall “out of an abundance of caution due to cracks that have developed in some of the unit caps of Brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution bottles” and that present a risk for contamination. The recall applies to 5, 10 and 15 milliliter bottles with an expiration date of February 2024 or April 2024. In the recall notice, Apotex Corp. also advises that individuals who have used the recalled eye drops “should immediately contact their health care provider for medical advice.”

2. Purely Soothing (Pharmedica USA LLC)

Pharmedica USA LLC issued a recall for its Purely Soothing brand eye drops on March 3, 2023. The recall notice states that the company is recalling its eye drops due to “non-sterility,” and that “[u]se of contaminated eye drops can result in the risk of eye infections that could result in blindness.”

The recall notice goes on to advise that customers should “immediately stop using the product,” and that wholesalers and retailers should avoid selling any more bottles. The recall applies to Purely Soothing eye drops with UPC codes 7 31034 91379 9 and 7 31034 91382 9.

3. Artificial Tears Lubricant Eye Drops (Global Pharma Healthcare)

Global Pharma Healthcare issued a recall for its Artificial Tears Lubricant Eye Drops on February 2, 2023. The recall notice states that it is being issued due to “possible contamination,” and that as of the date of issuance there were “55 reports of adverse events including eye infections, permanent loss of vision, and a death with a bloodstream infection.”

The Artificial Tears Lubricant Eye Drops recall applies to all 15 milliliter bottles that are still unexpired.

4. Multiple Brands (Family Dollar)

On July 21, 2022, Family Dollar issued a recall of multiple brands of eye drops sold in its stores due to possible contamination resulting from improper storage. The recall notice applies to the following brands of eye drops sold at Family Dollar stores between May 1, 2022 and June 10, 2022:

• Clear Eye Max Redness Relief
• Family Care Eye Drops Advanced
• Lumify Redness Red Eye Drops
• Medic Eye Drops Max Redness
• Systane Ultra High Performance Lubricant Eye Drops

5. Puriton (Kadesh Inc.)

Kadesh Inc. issued a recall for its Puriton brand of eye drops on November 7, 2018. Similar to the other recalls discussed above, this recall was due to non-sterilization. The recall notice indicates that investigators found the company’s eye drops were “manufactured without necessary production controls and conditions to ensure sterility,” and that “[u]se of a non-sterile eye drop is potentially vision-threatening due to the risk of an eye infection.” While the recall has since been terminated, individuals who suffered harm as a result of using non-sterile Puriton eye drops may still have claims for financial compensation.

Were You (or a Loved One) Harmed By Contaminated Eye Drops? Contact Us for a Free Consultation

If you or a loved one has been harmed by contaminated eye drops, your family may be entitled to financial compensation, and we encourage you to contact us promptly for more information. To discuss your legal rights with a lawyer at Searcy Denney in confidence, call 800-780-8607 or request a free consultation online today.