At least three people have died and others have lost their vision – including some who have lost an eye – due to a rare bacteria that was found in eye drops from two companies.
The drops were manufactured by Global Pharma Healthcare in India, where the bacteria – Pseudomonas aeruginosa – has been linked to outbreaks in hospitals.
Four people were forced to undergo surgery to remove an eyeball due to the infections, according to USA Today. Eight people have lost their vision.
The contaminated eye drops, distributed by Ezricare and Delsam Pharma, were voluntarily recalled last month, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
At least 68 patients in 16 states have been infected by the bacteria, including California, Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas.
The CDC reports that symptoms include:
• Yellow or green discharge in the eyes
• Discomfort
• Redness
• Increased light sensitivity, and
• Blurry vision.
The bacteria was found mostly in four regional clusters – and Ezricare’s drops were the only product used in each case, according to the report.
