Minnesota + Wisconsin Residents Urged To Stop Using Specific Brands Of Eye Drops – Blindness + Deaths Reported

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have issued an urgent message regarding a specific brand of eye drops that are involved in a "multistate cluster of infections". While the investigation is currently ongoing, they are sharing that these infections are very serious in nature - involving blindness and even one reported death caused by a bloodstream infection.

As of this writing, "infections have been found in 55 patients in eleven states". Those numbers have caused the manufacturer to issue a nationwide voluntary recall on the eye product.

The eye drops being investigated is EzriCare Artificial Tears Lubricant Eye Drops and Delsam Pharma Artificial Tears Lubricant Eye Drops. While there isn't a direct, unquestionable link yet as a result of the investigation, "most" of the patients reporting problems "had used artificial tears and the most commonly used brand was Ezricare".

Due to the ongoing complexities and unresolved nature of the investigation, the CDC "recommends that clinicians and patients immediately discontinue the use of Ezricare Artificial Tears".

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has released UPC details for the  eye drops involved in the recall. Here are the specifics:

• Ezricare:  NDC-79503-0101-15, UPC 3 79503 10115 7
• Delsam Pharma:  NDC-72570-121-15, UPC 72570-0121-15

Here are the pictures of the packaging being shared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration:

Customers who believe that they have the eye drops involved in the recall are urged to immediately stop using them. All adverse reactions or quality concerns should be reported to the FDA's MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting Program:  1-800-332-1088. General questions can be directed at the Aru Pharma/Ezricare Hotline:  1-518-738-7602.