Are Refresh Eye Drops Recalled?

Allergan is recalling two lots of their Refresh Relieva PF eye drops, and this recall is currently being conducted at the healthcare and retail levels. Consumers who have these eye drops in their possession are advised to stop using them immediately and to report any changes in their overall eye health to their ophthalmologist or optometrist. 

Unfortunately, these dangerous eye drops may cause bacterial infections. If you are curious about the problems with 2023 eye drop recalls or are already dealing with medical bills and other complications, the lawyers at Morgan & Morgan can help you review your legal rights and decide on your next steps. 

The affected Refresh eye drops in the recall include:

• 10 milliliter Refresh Relieva PF with an expiration date of August 2022
• Refresh Relieva PF 10 milliliter sample with an expiration date of July 2022
• Refresh Relieva PF 10 milliliter with an expiration date of July 2022

These lot numbers are T0392 and T0843. If you're already using eye drops from this lot, it is recommended that you hold on to these but discontinue using them immediately.

Multiple eye drops in the United States have been recalled. As of now, three brands have been recalled. The FDA has shared details about these recalls through their recalls, withdrawals, and safety alerts program. The first of these was the eye drops made by Global Pharma Healthcare. This is because of the discovery of pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacteria typically found in water and soil. Multiple cases of this drug-resistant bacteria were identified by the CDC and shared on January 31st, 2023. 

Over 60 cases across 12 different states in the U.S. have reported problems with this drug-resistant bacteria. In one case, that infection was fatal, and many other people have suffered temporary or permanent vision loss. These cases were also connected to four different healthcare facilities.

The CDC ultimately identified artificial tears as the common connection across all of the infections. Global Pharma Healthcare then issued a voluntary recall notice affecting all of their Artificial Tears Lubricant eye drops. 

Another 13 cases of infection have been identified by the CDC since then, and the FDA has also recommended that Global Pharma Healthcare put forth a recall on their Delsam Pharma Artificial Eye Ointment. Leaking packages and potential microbial contamination were primary concerns.

Another recall was carried out by a company based in Arizona for two different lots of their Purely Soothing 15% MSN Drops.

Apotex Corp. issued a voluntary recall a few weeks after the initial Global Health recall. This affected the Brimonidine Tartrate Ophthalmic Solution due to concerns over the lack of sterility in the packaging. These packages were distributed in six different lots between April 5th, 2022, and February 22nd, 2023. Cracks in the solution bottle caps are allegedly at fault for this.

If you're using any of the recalled eye drops, you may begin to notice symptoms of ocular infections. Any signs of these infections should be taken seriously and reported to your doctor right away. 

Ocular infections are most common in people between the ages of 20 and 60 years old. This is a broad term used to explain many different conditions, such as corneal ulcers, keratitis, blepharitis, trachoma, and conjunctivitis. 

This can cause deterioration of eye tissues and eye swelling. Many of the symptoms linked to eye infections include eye pain, blurry vision, redness of the eyes, constant itching, eye discomfort, flaking eyelids, discharge, swelling of the eyes and eyelids, and watery eyes. 

Some of these infections can develop extremely quickly including keratitis, which may leave you with no vision. Symptoms of that bacterial infection include clear green or yellow discharge, redness, eye pain or irritation, strange sensations, sensitivity to lights, and blurry vision. 

If you are concerned about your symptoms from using eye drops or if your eye doctor has already given you a diagnosis, then you may also be eligible to open a lawsuit. This is known as a defective product lawsuit. 

A defective product lawsuit alleges that the manufacturer or some other party involved in the creation and shipment of a product fails to uphold their duty to put a safe item on the market. In many cases, consumers have no idea of the dangers present in the product they are using, and medical items like eye drops are no exception.

People shopping for eye drops in grocery stores, major box stores, and drug stores certainly do not expect that something that is engineered to provide them relief in their eye could ultimately cause them devastating vision loss or other impairments. It is likely that due to the severity of the infections associated with the use of the recalled eye drops, that many people will come forward to open a lawsuit. These are often brought together under one claim known as a class action lawsuit, in which all of the claimants retain their right to recover compensation in the lawsuit but bring their claims together. 

Many different lawsuits have attempted to hold manufacturers, creators, and other stakeholders responsible for injuries that dangerous products or medical devices have caused. Unfortunately, many people typically have to suffer through the initial impacts of the side effects and medical conditions in order to showcase the severity of the damaged issues. The fact that many of these eye drops have already been recalled will help those claimants who are considering moving forward with a lawsuit. 

If you intend to file a defective product lawsuit, you need to show that you used the product as intended, that there were serious dangers associated with the product that you were not warned about, and that you have damages such as medical bills and other expenses because of the issues caused by the dangerous product. 

If you already know about your intention to file a lawsuit regarding recalled eye drops, it is very important to select the right legal team to help you with your claim. The knowledgeable attorneys at Morgan & Morgan have been working in the field of defective products for decades, advocating on behalf of victims and settlement conversations and injury trials. 

We have extensive resources and a network of over 1,000 lawyers available to us to assist with class action lawsuits, which puts you in a great position to ensure that your claim is heard effectively.

To get started, contact Morgan & Morgan today for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.