Deadly outbreak: CDC traces eye infections to over-the-counter eyedrops

In May 2022, an unusually virulent strain was found for the first time in the US in Los Angeles. Over the summer, more cases emerged and as doctors tried to fight it, the CDC began to track it. It talked to all the patients about where they had been and what they had eaten. After which CDC themselves reviewed every location and items they had in possession. The bacteria was identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa which is a rod-shaped bacterium that is a fraction of a millimeter long. The characteristic of these bacteria is that they are invasive, opportunistic and have a mortality rate which can be as high as 50%. They are also antibiotic resistant which means that the bacteria will live on irrespective what drugs doctors use.

It took the CDC several months and several instances of the spreading of the bacteria to finally find the culprits: over-the-counter eyedrops. The two brands of eyedrops were widely available and were for less than half price than that of the better known ones. The eyedrops belonged to EzriCare LLC and Delsam Pharma LLC which were recalled after the death of 4 people and the loss of vision of multiple people and infections. In some of the bacteria spread so quickly that doctors had to remove their eyeballs to stop it. Others had their corneas turn into cloudy abscesses of scar tissue. Some endured migraines, discharges from their eyes and light sensitivity that kept them in the dark for days and even months.

“Most patients reported using artificial tears,” the CDC said. “Patients reported over 10 different brands of artificial tears and some patients used multiple brands. EzriCare Artificial Tears, a preservative-free, over-the-counter product packaged in multidose bottles, was the brand most commonly reported.”

According to the CDC, eye infection symptoms may include:

• Yellow, green, or clear discharge from the eye
• Eye pain or discomfort
• Redness of the eye or eyelid
• Feeling of something in your eye (foreign body sensation)
• Increased sensitivity to light
• Blurry vision

The reason for this outbreak is the gaping hole in FDA’s supervision of over-the-counter medicines. It’s been among the agency’s lowest priority considering that even if the medicines do not work, at least they won’t kill anyone. These drugs are made and sold on the honour system where a company does not have to prove whether its drug is effective or not and that if it is being made properly or not.