3.1 million eye drop bottles recalled in U.S., products not sold in Canada

More than 3.1 million bottles of lubricating eye drops are being recalled in the U.S., but the products were not distributed in Canada. (Tima Miroshnichenko/Pexels)

More than 3.1 million bottles of lubricating eye drops are being recalled in the U.S., but the products were not distributed in Canada.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), California-based company K.C. Pharmaceuticals failed to properly test the products to ensure that they are sterile.

The eye drops were sold under several brand names, including Walgreens and CVS, which are major U.S. pharmacy chains.

In an email to CTVNews.ca, a Health Canada spokesperson said the department is aware of the American recall, which does not impact Canada.

“We can confirm that no affected product has been distributed on the Canadian market,” the Health Canada spokesperson said. “Should the scope of the recall expand to include products authorized or sold in Canada, Health Canada will take appropriate action to protect the health and safety of Canadians and communicate any relevant information publicly.”

According to CNN, this is the second time that the FDA has become aware of sterility issues at K.C. Pharmaceuticals.

C. Michael White heads the University of Connecticut’s pharmacy school.

“This recall is very large, potentially affecting over a million people,” White wrote in a recent article in The Conversation. “Using nonsterile eye drops that harbor bacteria and fungus can cause eye infections, which can become severe because the immune system has a hard time accessing the eyeball and fighting the microbes.”

With files from CNN