Copycat eye drop: Everything you need to know

There are many copycat eye drops making the news recently. The FDA issued an alert advising the public against using unregulated eye drops with packaging similar to Bausch or Lomb's Lumify label drops for eyes. The organisation advises people to verify their eye drops to ensure authenticity since several counterfeits have made their way to the United States.

The FDA provided many examples of counterfeit items that were packaged to resemble legitimate Bausch + Lomb Lumify artificial tears.

According to the notice, these off-brand copies are not permitted for use and shouldn't be offered for sale in the United States since they increase the risk of infection, discomfort, and harm.

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Copycat eye drop

South Moon, Rebright, and FivFivGo eye drops were not authorized and should not be sold in the United States. They promise to treat eye diseases, including glaucoma, which requires prescription medicines or surgery.

Patients with any indication of eye strain should contact their healthcare practitioner or seek medical attention right away. The FDA recommends that these goods be properly discarded.

Copycat eye drop (image sourced via Pexels / Photo by joao jesus)

After analysing cases of South Moon as well as Rebright eye drops bought online, the FDA discovered that the former were infected with the Burkholderia cepacia complex, a type of bacteria capable of producing antibiotic-resistant illnesses.

While Rebright testing revealed no contamination, the FDA recommends customers against using this particular item.

Further investigation revealed that these imitation eye drops miss brimonidine tartrate, which is the active ingredient contained in Lumify.

Copycat eye drop (image sourced via Pexels / Photo by andrea)

While no reports of adverse reactions have directly addressed South Moon, Rebright, or FivFivGo, there have been claims of eye discomfort and infection caused by probably phoney Lumify drops.

The FDA advises consumers to make sure that eye drops are legit and properly discard any suspect products. Customers are also cautioned to only buy eye products from trusted shops.

Copycat eye drop (image sourced via Pexels / Photo by min an)

Duplicate eye drops are frequently made in uncontrolled facilities with little or no oversight. As a consequence, these goods may be infected with bacteria, fungi, or other pathogens, which can cause infections and other significant effects.

Unlike genuine products, which undertake stringent evaluation and quality control processes, counterfeit eye drops can include hazardous unknown or uncontrolled ingredients that can induce adverse responses or worsen existing eye diseases.

eye drops (image sourced via Pexels / Photo by noelle)

The FDA recommends that customers purchase eye products only from recognised sellers, including state-licensed pharmacies, rather than copycat eye drops from online retailers providing products with deceptive claims.

Anyone experiencing signs of an eye strain ought to get medical attention promptly.

"Consumers can be confident that authentic Lumify redness reliever eye drops are made with the highest standards of safety and efficacy," Bausch + Lomb stated to CNN. "We're working closely with the FDA and our authorized retail partners to help protect individuals from copycat products."

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The FDA is advising customers to avoid some copycat eye drops. The government warns that using these products may raise the risk of illness.

Officials stated that no adverse reactions have been documented yet, however, the FDA advises users to destroy these goods as a precaution.