By Erika Edwards -
NBC News
Three people have died and four others have had to undergo operations to remove the eyeball due to bacterial infections linked to bacteria-contaminated eye drops, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported Tuesday. in English).
The federal agency identified 68 patients in 16 states who were affected by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a type of bacteria resistant to most antibiotics.
Eight of them have lost vision in at least one of their eyes and some have had to receive a corneal transplant.
Artificial tears.EzriCare
Most of those affected said they had used eye drops before suffering the medical problems.
The most cited brand was EzriCare.
These drops have already been withdrawn from the market, along with artificial tears and artificial eye ointment from the pharmaceutical company Delsam Pharma.
The bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa is usually found in water, soil, and on the hands of healthy people.
The infections usually occur in hospitals and affect people with weakened immune systems.
Up to 37 patients had been affected by four outbreaks at healthcare facilities, according to the CDC.
This drug-resistant strain had never been seen in the country prior to this outbreak.
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Deaths can occur when the bacteria gets into the blood.
Not all patients had eye infections: others had respiratory or urinary tract infections.
The CDC first alerted the public to the danger of this bacterium in a statement dated January 20.
It is now working with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and state health departments to identify cases.
The CDC recommends seeking medical help if you experience these symptoms of an eye infection:
Yellow, green, or clear discharge from the eye
Eye pain or discomfort
Redness of the eye or eyelid
Sensation of having something in the eye (foreign body sensation)
Increased sensitivity to light
Blurry vision
