According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a brand of over-the-counter eye drops may be linked to a bacterial infection that left one person dead and three others with permanent vision loss.
The CDC has identified at least 50 people in 11 states with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a type of bacteria resistant to most antibiotics. So far, there have been cases in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, Texas, Utah, and Washington.
The agency said it is investigating and a majority of affected people reported using it EzriCare preservative-free artificial tears before they became infected, according to a Jan. 20 statement.
Of the reported cases, 11 people developed eye infections, including at least three who were blind in one eye. Others who got sick had respiratory infections or urinary tract infections, and one person died after the bacteria entered their bloodstream.
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A brand of over-the-counter eye drops may be associated with a bacterial infection that left one person dead and three others with permanent vision loss, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
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It remains unclear at this time whether those affected had underlying eye conditions, such as glaucoma or cataracts, which would have made them more susceptible. Symptoms of an eye infection include pain, swelling, discharge, redness, blurred vision, sensitivity to light, and the feeling that there is an object in the eye.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria are commonly found in water, soil and on the hands of otherwise healthy people. These infections usually occur in hospitals in people with weakened immune systems. This type of bacteria is often resistant to standard antibiotics.
The CDC has identified at least 50 people in 11 states with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a type of bacteria resistant to most antibiotics.
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The eye drops in question are labeled as preservative free, which means that the product contains nothing that could prevent microbiological growth.
It is possible that the drops were contaminated during the manufacturing process or when a person with the bacteria on their skin opened the container.
The CDC discovered the bacteria in the eye drop bottles and is conducting tests to determine if that bacteria matches the strain found in patients.
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Symptoms of an eye infection include pain, swelling, discharge, redness, blurred vision, sensitivity to light, and the feeling that there is an object in the eye.
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EzriCare Artificial Tears had not been recalled Tuesday evening.
The CDC recommends that clinicians and patients discontinue use of the product until investigation and laboratory analysis are complete.