Here comes the urgent warning that you should no longer use it! Health officials sound the alarm: How eye drops killed one person and seriously injured several others

US health officials say eye drops may have killed one person and seriously injured several others due to drug-resistant bacterial contamination. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified 68 patients in 16 states with a rare strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This type of bacteria had never been found in the US before this latest outbreak.

In addition to one death, eight patients suffered vision loss and four patients had their eyes surgically removed. Most patients diagnosed with the infection reported using eye drops and artificial tears, according to the CDC. Ten different brands were initially identified as possibly linked to the severe event, the CDC said. Eye drops that are manufactured in India and imported into the US under two brands were then pulled from the shelves in January and February.

In January, the CDC warned people to stop using EzriCare artificial tears and Delsam Pharma artificial tears. The following month, the company that owns the brands – Global Pharma – issued a voluntary recall following an official recommendation from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).