Vision loss associated with recalled eyedrops
[Urgent recall] These eyedrops could STEAL your vision!
“You’ll shoot your eye out!”
We all remember that classic line from the holiday classic film A Christmas Story… and maybe some of us remember our own parents giving us that very same stern warning.
When you’re a kid… you might take your chances… and play with the BB gun anyway.
At least then, you know what you’re in for.
But COUNTLESS Americans were taken by surprise recently when they found out they’d been putting their own eyes… and perhaps even their vision… in the crosshairs…
Simply by using a humble medicine chest staple.
Turns out, SEVERAL over-the-counter eyedrop brands had to be RECALLED… because of a serious risk of infection…
Or even blindness.
I’m talking about OTC “store brands”… from trusted retailers like CVS, Rite Aid, and Target…
As well as “brand names” such as Leader, Rugby, and Velocity.
The types of drops run the gamut from “dry eye” formulations… to “irritation relief”…
But they all share one thing in common.
They were SUPPOSED to be sterile… but, in a scary turn of events, they could be CONTAMINATED with bacteria!
One of the drugmakers, Cardinal Health, Inc., has already ADMITTED to receiving reports of adverse events…
And now we’re finding out that these eyedrops could actually cause infections that lead to partial… or even TOTAL… vision loss.
That’s right – eyedrops that could shoot your eyes out, and render you BLIND!
See, your eyes aren’t just the windows to your soul. They’re actually an incredibly VULNERABLE part of your body – one where, as the FDA says, the body’s natural defenses are BYPASSED.
Reportedly, some of these eyedrops were being manufactured in a FILTHY facility…
One that was so bad, even the FDA couldn’t turn a blind eye to it.
What makes this even worse is that it’s not the FIRST recall of bacteria-laden eyedrops we’ve seen over the past few months.
Earlier this year, at least four people DIED from exposure to them!
How messed up is our medical system for folks to LOSE their lives over something as simple as “artificial tears”?!
And why has it taken the feds SO LONG to discover that this problem has spread so far and wide?
For the complete list of brands and products thus far, visit the FDA website – which is supposed to be updated regularly.
If you’ve already got any bottles that match the recalled products… TOSS ’EM.
If you’ve got any EXPIRED eyedrops… recalled or not… it’s best to DITCH those, too.
And if you still see any of these recalled brands on the store shelves… DON’T buy them, thinking they’re NEW stock that’s been fixed.
While those retailers I mentioned earlier are PULLING the stock from their own pharmacy departments… drug recalls like these are unfortunately VOLUNTARY.
That means the drugmakers could be SLOWPOKES about removing the tainted drops from the market… and some UNSAFE ones could still be LINGERING at your local store.
If something does happen to your eyes or your vision… and I pray that it doesn’t… be sure to report it to the FDA’s MedWatch program. Too often in these scenarios, folks DON’T alert the authorities to a problem… and the feds UNDERSTIMATE the gravity of the situation.
Symptoms to watch out for include discomfort… redness… unusual discharge… or the feeling that something is “stuck” in your eye.
Now, if your eyes AREN’T infected… but they feel dry and need some lubrication… you may not need ANY drops at all.
You didn’t think I would let you go without giving you a non-drug solution, did you?
Fortunately, studies have shown that orally supplementing with omega-3s could actually help maintain adequate moisture in the eyes.
But while you’re at it… make sure you’re ELIMINATING potential causes of dry eye…
Like too much screen time… or even certain meds.
For better health,
Dr. Marc S. Micozzi, M.D., Ph.D.
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