News Release – Department of Health issues safety alert warning for several over-the-counter eye drop products due to potential risk of eye infections

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

KA ʻOIHANA OLAKINO

JOSH GREEN, M.D.
GOVERNOR

KE KIA‘ĀINA

KENNETH S. FINK, MD, MGA, MPH
DIRECTOR

KA LUNA HO‘OKELE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 31, 2023                                                                                                                        23-137

 

Department of Health issues safety alert warning for several

over-the-counter eye drop products due to potential risk of eye infections

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i State Department of Health (DOH) Food and Drug Branch (FDB) is alerting residents to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) safety alert for several over-the-counter eye drop products sold by national retailers, due to the potential risk of eye infections from unsanitary conditions in the manufacturing facility.

The eye drops may have been purchased from CVS/Longs Drugs, Target, or Walmart under the following brand names: CVS Health, Target Up & Up and Walmart Equate Hydration PF Lubricant Eye Drop.

The FDB advises consumers to discard any of the designated products on hand. Eye drops are applied directly to the eyes and can bypass some of the body’s natural defenses, potentially resulting in partial vision loss or blindness if infection occurs. To date, the FDA has not received any adverse event reports of eye infection associated with these products.

For more information, consumers should contact the retailer where they purchased the product.

The product names and information are listed below:

Retailer/Label	Product	Product Information
CVS/Longs Drugs CVS Health	Lubricant Eye Drops 15 ml (single pack)	Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium Eye Drops 0.5% w/v
	Lubricant Eye Drops 15 ml (twin pack)	Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium Eye Drops 0.5% w/v
	Lubricant Gel Drops 15 ml (single pack)	Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium Eye Drops 1% w/v
	Lubricant Gel Drops 15 ml (twin pack)	Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium Eye Drops 1% w/v
	Multi-Action Relief Drops 15 ml	Polyvinyl Alcohol 0.5% w/v & Povidone 0.6% w/v & Tetrahydrozoline Hydrochloride 0.05% Eye Drops
	Lubricating Gel drops 10 ml	Polyethylene Glycol 400 0.4% & Propylene Glycol 0.3% Eye Drops
	Lubricant Eye Drops 10 ml (single pack)	Propylene Glycol Eye Drops 0.6% w/v
	Lubricant Eye Drops 10 ml (twin pack)	Propylene Glycol Eye Drops 0.6% w/v
	Mild Moderate Lubricating Eye Drops 15 ml (single pack)	Polyethylene Glycol 400 Eye Drop 0.25% w/v
Target	Up & Up Dry Eye Relief Lubricant Eye Drops 30 ml	Polyethylene Glycol 400 0.4% & Propylene Glycol 0.3% Eye Drops
	Up & Up Extreme Relief Dry Eye 15 ml (single pack)	Polyethylene Glycol 400 0.4% & Propylene Glycol 0.3% Eye Drops
	Up & Up Extreme Relief Dry Eye 30 ml (twin pack)	Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium Eye Drops 0.5% w/v
Walmart	Equate Hydration PF Lubricant Eye Drop 10 ml	Polyethylene Glycol 400 0.4% & Propylene Glycol 0.3% Eye Drops

# # #

Media Contacts:

Michael Burke

Environmental Health Program Manager

Food and Drug Branch

Hawai‘i State Department of Health

Email: [email protected]

Rosemarie Bernardo

Information Specialist

Hawai‘i State Department of Health

Phone: 808-586-4417

Email: [email protected]