Should i use expired eye drops

If you are not sure, you could put your eyes at risk. This is especially the case with partially used or previously opened bottles of eye drops. Although unopened eye drops can go bad after their expiration date, opened ones have most likely been exposed to bacteria.

In either case, ophthalmologists always recommend patients to dispose of eye meds that have reached their shelf life. Here are some of the reasons why. The longer prescription eye meds or over-the-counter drops are stored in a bottle, the more the composition of those meds change.

Hence, after a given period the manufacturer of the meds cannot guarantee the effectiveness or even the effect of the product. In every bottle of eye medications are active and inactive ingredients.

Once the product is opened, oxygen exposure can slowly begin to compromise those ingredients. Keep them at room temperature for several days or weeks to prevent contamination. One drop of the liquid should be inserted into your lower lid pocket.

Do not blink, touch your eyes, or touch the tip on your face or eye. Keep your eyes closed. Close your eyes for three minutes, without blinking. Unopened eye drops may go bad after expiration, but they are more likely to have been infected by bacteria. Ophthalmologists recommend that patients dispose of any eye medication past their expiration date.

Skip to content Eye drops are a great way to keep your eyes feeling fresh and healthy. Reasons for Replacing Eyedrops There are a few reasons why you may need to replace your eye drops. Can you use expired eye drops — Similar Questions What happens if you stop using eye drops for 30 days? What do I do if my eye drops have expired? What happens to expired eye drops? What happens if you stop using eye drops for 30 days? Do you need to blink after applying eye drops?

What is the maximum time you can use your expired expiration date for? Are expired eye drops allowed? What happens if I close my eyes for a month? Is it safe for eye drops to be used after the expiration date? What is the maximum time you can keep your eye drops open after opening? In Clear Eyes Redness Relief eye drops, for example, the active chemical ingredients of glycerin the lubricant and naphazoline hydrochloride the redness reliever eventually break down, meaning they'll be less effective and safe.

In addition, many eye drops contain preservatives to help them last longer and stave off germ contamination. Most eye drops with preservatives will have an expiration date of at least one year after manufacturing, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology AAO. It's generally safe and effective to use these eye drops until their expiration date. However, the AAO says that if you've already opened the eye drops, they may have a much shorter shelf life, and you should throw them away three months after opening — even if it's before expiration.

That's because after opening eye drops, the exposure to oxygen can accelerate the degradation of chemical ingredients and cause the solution to weaken. Eye drops without preservatives usually coming in single-use vials should be thrown out 24 hours after opening. These are generally meant for one time use. The expiration date indicates when the eye drops are no longer guaranteed to be effective or sterile, says Vivian Shibayama , OD, an eye and vision care expert at UCLA Health.

Because the preservatives keeping the eye drops sterile have weakened over time, germs could contaminate the bottle after opening and cause eye infections, she says. The chemical breakdown of other materials could also irritate your eyes. Other risks of using expired eye drops include redness and blurry vision due to the irritation from broken down chemicals, says Haugsdal, which is why she doesn't suggest using expired eye drops. Avoid keeping eye drops in your car, pocket, or in direct sunlight, as high heat and light can degrade the chemical compounds in the drugs.