Infections and Diseases Caused by Eye Drops

EYEDROPS
eyedrops
Courtesy of Raed Mansour (Flickr CC0)

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are advising the public to stop using EzriCare Artificial Tears immediately and claim the eyedrops may be responsible for infections. Artificial tear eye drops under the EzriCare brand are frequently sold in blue packaging with light blue dots and “EzriCare” printed in the top left corner.

In fact, as of January 31, 2023, illnesses brought on by a strain of the highly drug-resistant pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria were found in 55 people across 12 states. The majority of patients utilized artificial tears prior to developing their disease. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). More than 10 different brands of artificial tears were reported by patients, some of whom also utilized other brands.

Moreover, the most common brand of artificial tears used by patients was EzriCare Artificial Tears. There are given out in multidose vials and don’t contain any preservatives. Among the four clusters of healthcare facilities, this was the only product for artificial tears that was often used.

Data Collected Based on Infections and Diseases Caused by Eyedrops

Therefore, pseudomonas aeruginosa, a type of bacterium has been found in at least  12 states, according to the CDC. The majority of the patients — 75% — said they had used artificial tears before getting sick. According to Walters, 85% of people who could remember brand names indicated they had used preservative-free EzriCare Artificial Tears. In a statement dated January 20, the CDC first warned the general public about the potential risk.

Risks Of Overusing Eyedrops

Additionally, eyedrops remove your regular tears but, they moisten your eyes and aid in deficient tear production, artificial tears feel wonderful. However, excessive use can essentially wipe away your eyes’ natural tears and moisturizers.

Furthermore, the initial eye problems may come back worse than before as the eye drop effects wear off or after stopping the drops. Eye rebounding is the term for this however, to eliminate itching, eye drops clamp down on the blood vessels in the eye, depriving your sclera of the oxygen and nutrition it requires.

Therefore, your eyes may work extra hard to supply those vessels with oxygen when you stop taking eye drops or after their effects wear off, concealing a more serious issue.

 Symptoms That Can Lead You to Know If You Have an Eye Infection

EYEDROPS
Michael (a.k.a. moik) McCullough (Flickr CC0)
  • discharge from the eye may be clear, green, or yellow.
  • eye irritation or pain.
  • eyelid or eyeball redness
  • having a strange sensation in your eyes (foreign body sensation).
  • increased light sensitivity
  • fuzzy vision

What to Watch Out For When Using Eyedrops

Patel, an ophthalmologist at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix. Casual users tend to use bottled preserved tears that use benzalkonium chloride, or BAK, as a preservative. “Non-preserved products don’t have that protection and are in danger of being contaminated,” he said.

Therefore, those with severe or poorly controlled dry-eye symptoms, or who have had surgery or other illnesses, however, require chronic moisture and must use preservative-free products to avoid the cumulative toxic effects of BAK, Patel said.

“Using it once or twice a day is not detrimental to the eye,” he said. “But if you use it six to eight times a day for years, it builds toxicity and irritates the eyes.”

Before taking further eyedrop products people must research the risks of these eyedrops. However, bacteria and infections caused by these eyedrops are serious.

By Kelianexis Rodriguez

Sources:

NBC NEWS: CDC warns that a brand of eye drops may be linked to drug-resistant bacterial infections

WASHINGTON POST: Should you be worried about infection from eye drops?

CBC NEWS: CDC warns about eye drops linked to dangerous infections

Inset Image Courtesy of Michael (a.k.a. moik) McCullough Page – Creative Commons License

Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Raed Mansour – Creative Commons License

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