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Millions of eye drop products have been recalled over concerns that they may not be sterile, according to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration enforcement report.
On March 3, KC Pharmaceuticals, a company that sells eye care products, announced a voluntary recall of more than 3 million eye drops.
The eight affected product batches are sold under various brand names and have expiry dates from April to October. These were distributed to national retailers such as Walgreens, Kroger, and CVS.
The FDA classified this as a Class II recall on March 31st. Class II, the FDA’s second highest recall class, indicates that use of the affected product may result in temporary adverse health effects.
USA TODAY reached out to KC Pharmaceuticals.
Which eye drops have been recalled?
The recall targets eight types of eye drops that were sold by various brands and distributors.
Many of them can be identified by a universal product code or national drug code number. These numbers are usually located near the barcode on the bottle.
You can also identify it by the lot code number printed on the bottle.
According to the FDA enforcement report, the eye drop products subject to the recall are:
- Sterile eye drops AC 15mL
- Lot code and expiry date:
- Brand and distributor:
- Best Choice – UPC: 0-70038-47010-6
- QC – Quality Choice (Irritation Reduction of Sterile Eye Drops) – NDC: 83324-190-14
- Discount Drug Mart (Eye Drops AC) – UPC: 0-93351-01158-0
- GoodSense (sterile eye drops) – NDC: 50804-160-01
- Walgreens (eye drops) – UPC: 3-11917-17954-4
- CareOne (anti-itch eye drops)
- Equaline – UPC: 0-41163-25114-4
- Top Care Health – UPC: 0-36800-03640-6
- Meyer – NDC: 41250-598-01
- H‑E‑B AC Eye Drops – UPC: 0-41220-43746-7
- Advanced Relief Eye Drops 15mL
- Lot code and expiration date:
- AR24D01, April 30th
- AR24G01, July 31st
- AR24G02, July 31st
- AR24M01, October 31st
- Brand and distributor:
- Walgreens – UPC: 3‑11917‑20074‑3
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- CVS – UPC: 0‑50428‑43544‑1
- QC – Quality Choice – NDC: 83324‑191‑14
- Discount Drug Mart – UPC: 0‑93351‑01155‑9
- Foster & Thrive – NDC: 70677‑1158‑1
- Good Sense – NDC: 50804‑130‑01
- Top Care Health – UPC: 0‑36800‑03641‑3
- DG Health – UPC: 0‑95072‑02556‑3
- Fast-acting – Code Red Eye Drops – NDC: 83817‑963‑01
- Lot code and expiration date:
- Dry eye relief eye drops 15mL
- Lot code and expiry date:
- LT24E01, May 31st
- LT24E02, May 31st
- LT24E03, May 31st
- LT24F01, June 30th
- LT24G01, July 31st
- LT24M01, October 31st
- LT24M02, October 31st
- Brand and distributor:
- Jelicare – NDC: 57896-181-05
- Top Care Health – UPC: 0-36800-36100-3
- Ritual Aid – NDC: 11822-1067-2
- Reader – NDC: 70000-0502-1
- Discount Drug Mart – UPC: 0-93351-01156-6
- H‑E‑B – UPC: 0-41220-43741-2
- Foster & Thrive – NDC: 70677-1158-1
- Meyer – NDC: 41250-718-01
- DG Health – UPC: 0-95072-02656-0
- Harris Teeter – UPC: 0-72036-71303-2
- Replacement selection – UPC: 6-14299-05620-6
- Good Neighbor Pharmacy – NDC: 46122-605-05
- Lot code and expiry date:
- Super lubricating eye drops 15mL
- Lot code and expiration date:
- SU24E01, May 31st
- SU24E02, May 31st
- SU24E03, May 31st
- SU24K01, September 30th
- Brand and distributor:
- Reader – NDC: 70000‑0457‑1
- Harris Teeter – UPC: 0‑72036‑73588‑1
- Foster & Thrive – NDC: 70677‑1160‑1
- Walgreens – UPC: 3‑11917‑20167‑2
- P High Performance (Publix) – UPC: 0‑41415‑09876‑3
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- Good Sense – NDC: 50804‑160‑01
- Meyer – NDC: 41250‑937‑01
- CVS Health – UPC: 0‑50428‑39690‑2
- CVS Health (Twin Pack) – UPC: 0‑50428‑44738‑3
- QC – Quality Choice – NDC: 83324‑029‑15
- Avenova (twin pack) – UPC: 8‑57005‑00411‑9
- Lot code and expiration date:
- sterile eye drops 15mL
- Lot code and expiration date:
- RG24E01, May 31st
- RG24G01, July 31st
- RG24G02, July 31st
- Brand and distributor:
- Good Sense – NDC: 50804‑141‑01
- Walgreens – UPC: 3‑11917‑20073‑6
- Walgreens (2 Bottle Pack) – UPC: 3‑11917‑20076‑7
- Kroger – UPC: 0‑11110‑38597‑0
- Lil’ Drug Store Products – UPC: 3‑66715‑68324‑3
- CVP – UPC: 7‑61606‑16500‑3
- Harris Teeter – UPC: 0‑72036‑71302‑5
- H‑E‑B – UPC: 0‑41220‑43747‑4
- Rugby – NDC: 0536‑1217‑94
- Equal line – UPC: 0‑41163‑25110‑6
- Discount Drug Mart – UPC: 0‑93351‑01156‑3
- Reader – NDC: 70000‑0454‑1
- CareOne – NDC: 41520‑431‑05
- Circle K – UPC: 1‑94283‑65185‑8
- DG Health – UPC: 0‑95072‑00556‑5
- Good Neighbor Pharmacy – NDC: 24385‑075‑05
- Top Care Health – UPC: 0‑36800‑03639‑0
- Best Choice – UPC: 0‑70038‑47011‑3
- Lot code and expiration date:
- Sterile eye drops redness lubricant 15mL
- Lot code and expiration date:
- RL24D01, April 30th
- RL24F01, June 30th
- RL24F02, June 30th
- Brand and distributor:
- Industrial Eye Relief – UPC: 130209
- Good Neighbor Pharmacy – NDC: 46122‑606‑05
- Eagle Eye Eye Drops – UPC: 3‑48201‑01615‑5
- Ophthalmycin eye drops – UPC: 3-48201-01613-1
- Reader – NDC: 70000‑0010‑1
- Equal line – UPC: 0‑41163‑46151‑2
- Walgreens – UPC: 3‑11917‑17741‑0
- Foster & Thrive – NDC: 70677‑1161‑1
- Ritual Aid – NDC: 11822‑6453‑4
- Discount Drug Mart – UPC: 0‑93351‑03411‑4
- Lot code and expiration date:
- Sterile eye drops to soothe tears 15mL
- Lot code and expiration date:
- SY24K01, September 30th
- SY24K02, September 30th
- Brand and distributor:
- Rugby – NDC: 0536‑1219‑94
- Walgreens – UPC: 3‑11917‑20300‑3
- Lot code and expiration date:
- Artificial tears, sterile lubricant eye drops 15mL
- Lot code and expiration date:
- AT24D01, April 30th
- AT24E01, May 31st
- AT24E02, May 31st
- AT24G01, July 31st
- Brand and distributor:
- Reader – NDC: 70000‑0011‑1
- Good Sense – NDC: 50804‑110‑01
- Good Neighbor Pharmacy – NDC: 24385‑006‑05
- TopCare Health – UPC: 0‑36800‑09331‑7
- Best Choice – UPC: 0‑70038‑47008‑3
- Kroger – UPC: 0‑11110‑38600‑7
- P (Public) – UPC: 0‑41415‑00976‑9
- Quality selection – NDC: 83324‑189‑14
- Lot code and expiration date:
What to do with recalled eye drops
The FDA said in a statement to USA TODAY that the recall is classified as Class II, meaning it is “unlikely to pose a serious health problem.”
“Patients and consumers can continue to use the drug unless directed otherwise by the recall company or the FDA,” the statement said.
This story has been updated with additional information.
Melina Khan is USA TODAY’s national trends reporter. Contact her at melina.khan@usatoday.com.
