EzriCare Eye Drops Linked To Infections, Vision Loss and Death Reports: CDC

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a warning about alarming reports of severe eye infections from EzriCare Artificial Tears, indicating that the lubricating eye drops may be contaminated with drug-resistant bacteria, which may have caused permanent vision loss and at least one death.

In an EzriCare eye drops warning issued on January 20, CDC officials announced they are investigating a cluster of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria infections, which have been identified among at least 50 individuals from 11 states, most of which reported using EzriCare Artificial Tears prior to infection onset.

The CDC indicates EzriCare Artificial Tears may have caused eye infections responsible for permanent vision loss, hospitalization, and one user died from a bloodstream infection following use of the eye drops.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a bacterium that can cause mild to severe infections in humans, resulting in fever, chills, body aches, light-headedness, rapid pulse, heavy breathing, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea and decreased urination. The infection can be fatal due to many of its strains commonly being resistant to antibiotics, which limits treatment options, especially among those already suffering from weakened immune systems or pre-existing lung conditions.

Warning About EzriCare Eye Drops Vision Loss Risk

EzriCare Artificial Tears are advertised as a “preservative-free” and “proprietary natural tears formula,” which is supposed to mimic natural tears to provide relief for those experiencing dry, red, scratchy, itchy, or gritty eyes.

The EzriCare eye drops are offered as an over-the-counter (OTC) product through a variety of stores and online retailers, such as Walmart and Amazon.com. The artificial tears are formulated, designed, and imported by Aru Pharma Inc. in the United States, and are manufactured by Global Pharma Healthcare PVT LTD in India.

According to data collected by the CDC and local health departments between May 17, 2022 and January 19, 2023, at least 50 reports of individuals developing antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections from EzriCare eye drops have been identified in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, Texas, Utah and Washington.

Officials reported that of the users who developed an ocular infection, at least three users experienced blindness in one eye, while other users reportedly developed respiratory infections and urinary tract infections. To date, the agency is aware of one death caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa entering their bloodstream after using the eye drops.

Preliminary findings of the CDC’s epidemiological investigation has identified that most patients reported using EzriCare Artificial Tears before developing infections. Officials confirmed that laboratory analyses of open EzriCare bottles collected from patients were contaminated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The CDC has also collected fifty-six isolates from infected patients, which the agency stated will be cross-referenced against samples collected from the opened and unopened bottles of EzriCare Artificial Tears to determine whether they contain the same strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Out of an abundance of caution, officials are instructing customers, health care providers and patients immediately discontinue using the EzriCare drops due to the risk of bacterial infection. However, lawyers indicate that if users experienced any eye problems from the EzriCare artificial tears, the product should be safely stored for future testing as part of any eye drop infection lawsuit that may be pursued.

EzriCare Artificial Tears Recall May Be Imminent

As the CDC continues to investigate the outbreak of the infection potentially linked to the products, the manufacturer has yet to announce an EzriCare Artificial Tears recall.

Four days after the CDC’s warning, the company released a statement on its website on January 24, acknowledging that the Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections may be linked to its eye drops products. However, the statement indicates the company has yet to receive any consumer complaints or adverse reports, and has not been asked by deferral regulators to take any action.

The company’s statement implies that no EzriCare Artificial Tears recall was being initiated at that time. However, the manufacturer has recommended customers stop using the EzriCare Artificial Tears at this time, and it is expected that retailers or federal regulators may soon force an EzriCare eye drops recall.

Given the large number of eye infections reported before the first CDC warnings were even issued, it is expected that the extent of problems may be much more widespread, and it is likely that EzriCare eye drops lawsuits will be filed in the coming weeks and months if it is confirmed that the artificial tears were distributed with drug-resistant bacteria.