{
  "id": 3408577,
  "title": "Clear Eyes eye drops recalled nationwide over sterility concerns",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/clear-eyes-eye-drops-recalled-nationwide-over-sterility-concerns",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-26T03:00:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Medical Xpress",
    "slug": "medical-xpress",
    "url": "https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-eyes-eye-recalled-nationwide-sterility.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Nearly 40,000 bottles of Clear Eyes Maximum Itchy Eye Relief eye drops are being recalled nationwide due to sterility concerns, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Prestige Brands Holdings, the manufacturer based in Tarrytown, New York, initiated the recall on July 29 and it remains ongoing. The affected lot, 2552A, was manufactured with an expiration date of September 30, 2027, and comes in 0.5-ounce dropper bottles. The product was sold at major retailers such as Walmart and carried the National Drug Code 67172-999-01 and UPC 6 78112 65920 3.\n\nThe FDA's reason for the recall is a lack of assurance regarding sterility. Phil Terpolilli, the company's spokesman, stated that the potential for contamination was discovered during production, although the specific type of contamination remains undisclosed. The FDA classified the recall as Class II, a middle level on the agency's three-tiered recall scale, indicating the product may cause temporary or reversible health issues with a remote chance of serious harm. No serious side effects have been reported as of August 23, and no other Clear Eyes products are affected by this recall.\n\nConsumers who possess the recalled lot should discontinue use and return the bottle to the store of purchase for a refund. This incident marks the second large sterility-related eye drop recall in the United States this year, following a March recall by K.C. Pharmaceuticals Inc., which involved over 3 million bottles of various eye care products. Eye drop recalls are not as frequent as food recalls, but they do occur. The Clear Eyes Maximum Itchy Eye Relief, lot 2552A, is the subject of this nationwide Class II recall due to the inability to guarantee sterility.",
  "summary": "Nearly 40,000 bottles of a widely sold eye drop are being pulled from shelves nationwide because the maker cannot guarantee the product is sterile.",
  "key_points": [
    "Nearly 40,000 bottles of Clear Eyes Maximum Itchy Eye Relief eye drops recalled",
    "Sterility concerns discovered during production, potential for contamination",
    "Recall classified as Class II, no serious side effects reported"
  ],
  "editors_take": "This recall signals heightened scrutiny of eye drop manufacturers, as a second large sterility-related recall this year may indicate a broader quality control issue in the industry.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}