News
Protect Your Sight: Tainted Eye Drops Cause Deaths and Blindness in 18 States, Including North Carolina and New York
In the bustling city of New York, Dr. Emily began her day as she had before — tending to various patients as an ophthalmologist at a local hospital. Her roster was filled with routine check-ups and more intricate surgeries that demanded her attention. Despite her focus, she couldn’t help but notice the fraught expressions that adorned the faces of some people visiting the hospital that day. Perplexed but undeterred, Dr. Emily approached some of them to inquire what was causing the worry. Rushing to the hospital’s administration office, Dr. Emily was horrified to discover an outbreak of a rare drug-resistant bacteria that seemed to be linked to contaminated eye drops.
Reports of vision loss and even death began to surface nationwide, prompting Dr. Emily to act quickly to prevent further harm. With urgency and determination, she rallied her team of medical experts. She set out to investigate the source of the contamination, knowing that time was of the essence to protect not just her patients but the wider community. Uncovering a troubling pattern of neglect and noncompliance with safety regulations by the contaminated eye drop manufacturers, the team delving deeper into the issue found some worrisome details.
During an 11-day inspection in mid-February, the FDA discovered that the manufacturing process at the Global Pharma facility lacked “assurance of product sterility” for several batches produced from December 2020 to April 2022. What’s even more startling is that even with the FDA’s findings, the contaminated eye drops continued to be used, leading to the deaths of four individuals and resulting in 14 others experiencing vision loss. In 18 different states, 81 individuals had already been impacted by the outbreak, with four necessitating surgical removals of their eyeballs. Further investigation showed that the concern of the manufacturers was more with making money than looking after those who bought their product.
The epidemic’s impact on those affected and their families was devastating, as a stark reminder of how crucial safety protocols are and the responsibility of holding companies accountable.
Discussion
Emerging on May 22, 2023, was news of an inquiry investigating eye drops contaminated with the antibiotic-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Tragically, there had been a growing number of fatalities and incidents of blindness attributed to this bacteria.
Infections have been documented in 81 people from 18 states, while vision loss has affected 14 cases. Sadly, there have been four deaths, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s a testament to the severity of the condition that four people have had to undergo the daunting procedure of surgical eyeball removal.
In February, Global Pharma Healthcare’s Artificial Tears Lubricant Eye Drops recalled, which included other brands such as EzriCare Artificial Tears. Delsam Pharma and EzriCare were the distributors involved in placing these eye drops linked to several cases.
The CDC’s findings show that the infection caused by the bacteria can affect people even if they haven’t used eye drops. Some recent patients recall using the contaminated drops, while others were infected in long-term care settings. It is noteworthy that these reports have surfaced.
Green, yellowish, or clear fluids flowing from the eye, foreign object sensations, and photosensitivity may be observed as additional indicators of an infection. Incongruities in vision and out-of-focus eyesight are also possible manifestations. If discomfort or redness in the eye or eyelid persists, it may indicate an infection.
This story is recreated based on a recent event!
Citation
- News, A. (2023, May 23). Contaminated eye drops linked to more deaths as 14 people report vision loss. ABC News. https://abcnews.go.com/US/contaminated-eye-drops-linked-deaths-14-people-report/story?id=99456267
- Recalled contaminated eye drops linked to bacteria have led to a fourth death, CDC says. (n.d.). USA TODAY. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2023/05/20/recalled-eye-drops-bacteria-deaths-blindness-cdc/70239146007/Hassan, C. (2023, May 19).
- Another death, more cases of vision loss linked to contaminated eye drops, CDC reports | CNN. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/19/health/ezricare-eye-drops-recall-update/index.html
- Another Death, More Cases of Vision Loss Linked to Tainted Eye Drops — MSD Manual Professional Edition. (n.d.). MSD Manual Professional Edition. https://www.msdmanuals.com/professional/news/external/2023/05/23/01/55/another-death,-more-cases-of-vision-loss-linked-to-tainted-eye-drops
Originally published at https://original.newsbreak.com.
