Eye Drop Recalls: Is Your Medicine Cabinet Safe?

Defective eye drops can quietly make chronic conditions worse. Bottles contaminated with bacteria, or manufactured without sterility assurance, can turn an everyday relief medication into the source of irritation, infection, or lasting damage to the ocular surface.

Over the past several years, a steady stream of over-the-counter eye drops and ophthalmic gels have been recalled across major retailers — from CVS and Walgreens to Target, Walmart, and regional grocery chains. The reasons range from potential bacterial contamination to manufacturing quality lapses, and the affected products often sit on shelves under generic store-brand names that consumers don't recognize as risky.

If you use eye drops regularly, especially for Dry Eye Disease or post-surgical care, it's worth cross-referencing what's in your medicine cabinet against current safety data.

Recent Recalls at a Glance

A non-exhaustive timeline of major OTC eye drop and ophthalmic gel recalls since 2023.

K.C. Pharmaceuticals — March/April 2026Products: Best Choice, Quality Choice, GoodSense, CareOne, Equaline, TopCare, Health Leader, Foster & Thrive, RugbyRetailers: CVS, Walgreens, Target, Rite Aid, Kroger, H-E-B, Meijer

BRS Analytical / AvKARE — May 2025Products: Artificial Tears, Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium Ophthalmic Gel 1%, Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium Ophthalmic Solution, Lubricant Eye Drops, Polyvinyl Alcohol Ophthalmic SolutionRetailers: Various distributors

Allergan — September 2024Products: Refresh P.M., Lacri-LubeRetailers: Nationwide

Brassica Pharma — February 2024Products: Equate, Up & UpRetailers: Walmart, Target, CVS

Kilitch Healthcare India (27 store brands) — November 2023Products: Rugby, Leader, CVS, Rite Aid, Target, and Walmart store brandsRetailers: CVS, Rite Aid, Target

Dr. Berne's MSM Drops — August 2023Products: AllRetailers: Online

LightEyez MSM Drops — August 2023Products: AllRetailers: Online

Apotex — March 2023Products: Brimonidine Tartrate Solution (0.15%)Retailers: Pharmacies nationwide

Global Pharma — February 2023Products: EzriCare, Delsam PharmaRetailers: Amazon, Walmart, Online

Clear Eyes — February 2023Products: Once Daily ReliefRetailers: Nationwide

The K.C. Pharmaceuticals 2026 Recall

In March 2026, K.C. Pharmaceuticals voluntarily recalled over 3.1 million bottles of various eye drops due to a "lack of assurance of sterility." Using non-sterile eye drops increases the risk of developing or worsening chronic conditions including Dry Eye Disease, keratitis, and bacterial conjunctivitis.

The recall covers products sold under more than a dozen store brands at major drugstores, grocery chains, and discount retailers nationwide.

How to Check Your Bottles

Three things must match for a bottle to be part of the recall:

1. NDC or UPC code. Printed on the front or bottom of the medication box from the pharmacy. This identifies the product family.
2. Lot prefix. Printed on the bottom of the box and on each eye-dropper bottle label. Look for a 4-character code starting with LT, AT, RG, AC, RL, AR, SY, or SU.
3. Expiration date. Also printed on the box and each bottle. Must match one of the listed dates exactly.

If all three attributes match, stop using the drops immediately. You can return the bottle to your retailer for a full refund.

Use the checker below to look up your product by NDC code, UPC code, brand, or retailer.

What to Do If Your Drops Are Affected

• Stop use immediately. Do not finish the bottle.
• Return it to the retailer where it was purchased for a full refund — no receipt is required for FDA-mandated recalls.
• If you've experienced any symptoms (irritation, redness, pain, blurred vision, discharge), contact your eye care provider.
• Report adverse events to the FDA's MedWatch program at fda.gov/medwatch.

Proper bottle hygiene between uses is one of the most effective ways to reduce contamination risk regardless of manufacturer. Visit our other articles to learn more about how to keep your drops safe.