Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Systane eye drops recalled over possible fungal contamination

The recall comes after a customer complained about a ‘foreign material’ in their eye drops

Katie Hawkinson
in Washington D.C.
Wednesday 25 December 2024 20:15 GMT
Comments
Alcon Laboratories voluntarily recalled their Systane-brand eye drops over concerns about fungal contamination
Alcon Laboratories voluntarily recalled their Systane-brand eye drops over concerns about fungal contamination (Alcon Laboratories)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A Texas-based company has voluntarily recalled their Systane-brand eye drops over possible fungal contamination.

Alcon Laboratories in Fort Worth, Texas recalled one lot of Systane Lubricant Eye Drops Ultra PF, Single Vials On-the-Go, 25 count on December 21. The recall impacts Lot 10101 with an expiration date of September 2025.

The impacted lot has been sold at Publix, according to a statement from the grocery chain.

The alert comes after a customer called to complain about a “foreign material” they saw inside the container. The company later determined that “material” was “fungal in nature,” according to their recall statement.

The company believes the contamination “appears to be isolated to the single unit returned by a customer,” Alcon spokesperson Steven Smith told NBC News.

A lot of Systane Lubricant Eye Drops Ultra PF, Single Vials On-the-Go have been recalled.
A lot of Systane Lubricant Eye Drops Ultra PF, Single Vials On-the-Go have been recalled. (Alcon Laboratories)

Using contaminated eye drops could lead to infections, which may be vision-threatening and even life-threatening for immunocompromised people, the company’s statement said. However, Alcon Laboratories has not received any reports of infection as of the recall date.

Symptoms of fungal eye infections include eye pain, redness, blurred vision, sensitivity to light and discharge, according to the Centers for Disease Control. People who are immunocompromised or use anti-inflammatory steroids are at higher risk for developing fungal eye infections, the agency reports.

Customers who purchased the impacted drops can return them to the store for a replacement or refund.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in