Do you have dry eyes from staring at the computer screen for too long? Or, perhaps the windy weather has dried out your eyes. Don’t worry, we’ve all been there. Whether you suffer from dryness, allergies, itchiness, Visine is designed to aid all types of conditions. But does it expire or go bad?
Visine or any brand of eye drops does expire and can go bad. Eye drops usually lasts one to two years from the time of manufacturing. Visine should not be used after the expiration date because the chemical compounds can change over time and potentially become harmful to your eyes.
The rest of the article will provide more details on how long Visine or other eye drop brands might last and best practices on how to use them.
How Long Does Visine Last For?
How long Visine lasts depends on a number of things. What reason you are taking Visine eye drops, whether it’s prescription or non-prescription, and so on.
You should always follow the instructions on the label unless indicated otherwise by your doctor. With that being said, in general, Visine eye drops or any type of eye drops should not be used for longer than 28 days.
Remember that each eye drop type or brand has a different expiration date due to varying ingredients. For example, Visine Max Redness Relief should only be used 3-4 days at a time.
Make sure that you always refer to the safety information provided before you take any form of eye drops.
Is It Safe to Use Eye Drops After Expiration Date?
The short answer, absolutely not!
You should never use eye drops after the expiration date. You can cause severe damage to your eyes if you do. Always stick to the 28-day rule or your doctor’s orders. It is a good idea to make a note on your calendar the day you start using Visine and mark it 28 days later.
That way, you will know precisely when you should stop using it. Even if you have not opened the eye drops, you should get rid of it immediately once it has expired.
Will Expired Eye Drops Hurt You?
You wouldn’t eat expired food, so why use expired eye drops?
And yes, using expired eye drops can cause serious damage.
Why?
Over time, the chemicals in eye drops degrade. When the compounds change, they can become harmful. Not only that, but once the eye drops expire, they lose their effectiveness, and you become more exposed to bacteria.
You may be thinking it’s just water saline; what’s the worse that can happen? But, eye drops can easily get contaminated, therefore, running the risk of infection.
This leads us nicely to the next point…
How Can You Tell if Eye Drops Are Contaminated?
According to research, the most common risk is through microbial contamination.
In other words, if you touch your eye, then the tip of the bottle, you may contaminate it.
Researchers from Tennent Institute of Ophthalmology in Glasgow, United Kingdom, collected 95 eye drop bottles. After a week of use, researchers found bacterial growth in about 8% percent of the bottles.
Additionally, there a few things that you can look out for to know if your eye drops are contaminated or not.
- Change in color- Eye drops are usually clear, just like water. If you notice a color change, whether lighter or darker, that may mean the bottle is contaminated. Most eye drop bottles write the original color of the eye drops on the packaging.
- Change in consistency– If your eye drops are no longer clear and have a hazy consistency, that may also be a sign of contamination.
- Check for sediments- Although this isn’t so common, sediments at the bottom of your eye drop bottle may indicate that the bottle has somehow been contaminated.
The Bottom Line
Just like you need to moisturize your skin, your eyes need hydration too. Fortunately, you can get instant relief with eye drops. Visine offers a wide variety of products tailored to what you need. But, all eye drops have an end date.
Eye drops are great for when you need that instant relief for itchiness, redness, and tired eyes. They are safe, effective, and comforting. As long as you use the eye drops within the end date, they are safe and effective.
However, you should always follow the instructions on the information leaflet or by your doctor. Always stick to the 28-day rule, and if your eye drops have expired or you think it may be contaminated, toss it!
I hope this article has been informative and helpful. Thanks for reading!
Anne James has a wealth of experience in a wide array of interests and is an expert in quilting, cooking, gardening, camping, mixing drinks (worked as a professional bartender), and making jelly.
Anne has a professional canning business, has been featured in the local newspaper as well as on the Hershey website, and has been her family canner for decades. Anyone growing up in the South knows that there is always a person in the family who has knowledge of the “old ways,” and this is exactly what Anne is.
With over 55 years of experience in these endeavors, she brings a level of hands-on knowledge that is hard to surpass. Amazingly, she doesn’t need to reference many resources due to her vast wealth of experience. She IS the source.
Anne wants nothing more than to pass on her extensive knowledge to the next generations, whether that be family or anyone visiting her website, her YouTube channel, or preservingsweetness.com.