Did You Know?
From CMS: §483.45(g) Labeling of Drugs and Biologicals and §483.45(h) Storage of Drugs and Biologicals: “Ensure that all drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with professional standards, including expiration dates.”
It is good standard of practice to date an ophthalmic (eye) medication upon opening. The date upon which a preparation is opened, should be tracked according to the facility policy to reduce the risk of using contaminated drops. The manufacturer’s storage recommendation for each ophthalmic preparation should be reviewed. Manufacturer’s storage recommendations are acceptable. If the manufacturer states a specific expiration date upon opening, this date should be used to determine when to discard the eye preparation. If the manufacturer is unable to provide an expiration date once the medication is opened, current standards of practice generally recommend discarding the eye drop after 28 days because sterility cannot be guaranteed beyond that point.
Other good practices regarding eye drops:
- Wash hands prior to administration and apply examination gloves.
- If the eye drop is a suspension, shake well.
- Remove the cap, taking care to avoid touching the dropper tip. Place the cap on the barrier or a clean, dry
surface. - Never touch the tip of the bottle to the patient, lid, lashes, or surface of the eye.
- If more than one ophthalmic preparation is administered, please ensure facility policy is followed regarding
the recommended time that should elapse between each medication. This allows for proper absorption of
each medication. - If an ophthalmic ointment and drop are to be administered, administer the ointment last.
- Keep the bottle tightly closed when not in use to avoid contamination.
The following charts list several eye medications for which the manufacturer has been contacted to determine an expiration date once opened. This list is not all inclusive. If a medication is not included in the chart below, please review manufacturers’ storage recommendations. For information on manufacturer’s storage recommendations, please refer to this website or the package insert for each preparation.
| Manufacturer | Drug Name | Expiration Date |
|---|---|---|
| Aerie | RHOPRESSA SOL 0.02% | After opening, the product may be kept at 2°C to 25°C (36°F to 77°F) for up to 6 weeks. |
| Aerie | ROCKLATAN DRO | After opening, ROCKLATAN can be used until the expiration date on the bottle. |
| Akorn | ATROPINE SUL SOL 1% OP BETAXOLOL SOL 0.5% OP BETIMOL SOL 0.5%, CROMOLYN SOD SOL 4% OP CYCLOPENTOL SOL 1% OP ERYTHROMYCIN OIN OP GENTAK OIN 0.3% OP KETOROLAC SOL 0.5% KETOTIF FUM DRO 0.025%OP LEVOFLOXACIN SOL 0.5% LOTEPREDNOL SUS 0.5% OFLOXACIN DRO 0.3% OP PILOCARPINE SOL 1% OP SOD CHLORIDE SOL 5% OP TIMOLOL MAL SOL 0.5% OP THERATEARS SOL 0.25% PF | Good until expiration date on bottle per manufacturer. |
| Akorn | AZASITE SOL 1% | 14 days |
| Akorn | COSOPT PF SOL 2%-0.5% | Store in foil pouch. Once foil pouch is opened, the vials expire in 15 days. |
| Akorn | ZIOPTAN DRO 0.0015% | Store refrigerated. Expires 30 days from opening the pouch. |
| Alcon | BETOPTIC-PILO | Discard reconstituted suspension two (2) weeks after combining. |
| Alcon | ISOPTO ATROP SOL 1% OP ISOPTO TEARS SOL 0.5% OP SYSTANE GEL 0.3% NAPHCON-A SOL OP | 4 weeks from opening |
| Alcon | GENTEAL GEL 0.3% GENTEAL TEAR SOL MODERATE SYSTANE OIN | Good until expiration date on bottle per manufacturer. |
| Alcon | SYSTANE SOL | 6 months after opening or the expiration date on the package, whichever comes first. |
| Allergan | COMBIGAN SOL 0.2/0.5% | 28 days |
| Allergan | BLEPHAMIDE SUS OP FML OIN 0.1% OP FML FORTE SUS 0.25% OP LUMIGAN SOL 0.01% | 28 days – Manufacturer unable to provide information on expiration date once opened. |
| Allergan | REFRESH GEL OPTIVE REFRESH CELL GEL 1% OP REFRESH LIQU DRO 1% OP REFRESH P.M. OIN OP REFRESH PLUS DRO 0.5% OP | 90 days from opening |
| Allergan | RESTASIS MUL EMU 0.05% | Discard unused emulsion 30 days after opening. |
| Apotex | AZELASTINE DRO 0.05% BIMATOPROSTSOL 0.03% OLOPATADINEDRO 0.1% OLOPATADINESOL 0.2% | 28 days |
| Bausch | ZIRGAN GEL 0.15% | 14 days |
| Bausch | PROLENSA SOL 0.07% | 16 days |
| Bausch | LOTEMAX GEL 0.5% | 28 days |
| Bausch | ALREX SUS 0.2% BEPREVE DRO 1.5% BRIMONIDINE SOL 0.2% OP DEXAMETH PHO SOL 0.1% OP ISTALOL SOL 0.5% OP LEVOBUNOLOL SOL 0.5% OP LOTEMAX SUS 0.5% MURO 128 SOL 5% OP NEO/POLY/GRA SOL OP PHENYLEPHRIN SOL 2.5% OP PRED SOD PHO SOL 1% OP TIMOLOL GEL SOL 0.5% OP TIMOPTIC OCU SOL 0.5% OP TOBRA/DEXAME SUS 0.3-0.1% | 30 days |
| Bausch | SOOTHE XP DRO | 31 days |
| Bausch | LATANOPROST SOL 0.005% | 42 days |
| Bausch | OPCON-A SOL OP VYZULTA SOL 0.024% | 61 days |
| Bausch | LUMIFY DRO 0.025% | 120 days |
| Bausch | BACIT/POLYMY OIN OP ERYTHROMYCIN OIN OP MURO 128 OIN 5% OP NEO/POLY/BAC OIN /HC 1%OP SOOTHE NIGHT OIN OP | Non-aqueous formulations do not support microbial growth; therefore, it is good until the expiration date on the bottle. |
| Greenstone | FLUOROMETHOL SUS 0.1% OP GENTAMICIN SOL 0.3% OP KETOROLAC SOL 0.4% PREDNISOLONE SUS 1% OP TIMOLOL MALSOL 0.25% OP | 28 days |
| Greenstone | LATANOPROST SOL 0.005% | 42 days |
| Hi Tech | BROMFENAC SOL 0.09% OP DORZOL/TIMOL SOL 22.3-6.8 DORZOLAMIDE SOL 2% OP GATIFLOXACIN SOL 0.5% | Good until expiration date on bottle per manufacturer. |
| Johnson & Johnson | VISINE MAX SOL RELIEF VISINE-A DRO Visine Dry Eye Relief | Can be used throughout the expiration date after opening. |
| Leading | CIPROFLOXACN SOL 0.3% OP | 28 days |
| Major | LUBRICNT EYE DRO 0.5% OP NATURAL BAL SOL TEARS | Do not re-use single use containers. Once opened, if product is being stored according to the label instructions in original packaging, it should be good until the marked expiration date on packaging. |
| Micro | DORZOLAMIDE SOL 2% OP | 28 days |
| Mylan | OLOPATADINE DRO 0.1% TRAVOPROST DRO 0.004% | 28 days |
| Novartis | AZOPT SUS 1% OP BETOPTIC-S SUS 0.25% OP CILOXAN OIN 0.3% OP DUREZOL EMU 0.05% ILEVRO DRO 0.3% OP PATADAY SOL 0.2% PAZEO DRO 0.7% SIMBRINZA SUS 1-0.2% TOBRADEX OIN 0.3-0.1% TOBREX OIN 0.3% OP TRAVATAN Z DRO 0.004% | 28 days |
| Perrigo | BACITRACIN OIN OP NEO/POLY/DEX OIN 0.1% OP NEO-POLYCIN OIN HC 1%OP | 28 days |
| Rising | TIMOLOL MAL SOL 0.25% OP | 28 days |
| Rugby | ARTIFI TEARS OIN OP ARTIFI TEARS SOL 1.4% OP NATURES SOL TEARS | Good until expiration date on bottle per manufacturer. |
| Sandoz | BETAXOLOL SOL 0.5% OP BRIMONIDINE SOL 0.15% CARTEOLOL SOL 1% OP CIPROFLOXACN SOL 0.3% OP CYCLOPENTOL SOL 1% OP DORZOL/TIMOL SOL 22.3-6.8 DORZOLAMIDE SOL 2% OP KETOROLAC SOL 0.5% MOXIFLOXACIN SOL HCL 0.5% NEO/POLY/DEX OIN 0.1% OP NEO/POLY/DEX SUS 0.1% OP OLOPATADINE SOL 0.2% PILOCARPINE SOL 1% OP POLYMYXIN B/ SOL TRIMETHP PREDNISOLONE SUS 1% OP PROPARACAINE SOL 0.5% OP SULFACET SOD SOL 10% OP TIMOLOL GEL SOL 0.5% OP TIMOLOL MAL SOL 0.25% OP TOBRA/DEXAME SUS 0.3-0.1% TOBRAMYCIN SOL 0.3% OP TRAVOPROST DRO 0.004% | Good until expiration date on bottle per manufacturer |
| Sandoz | LATANOPROST SOL 0.005% | Once a bottle is opened for use, it may be stored at room temperature up to 25°C (77°F) for 6 weeks. |
| Somerset | EPINASTINE DRO 0.05% TOBRAMYCIN SOL 0.3% OP | 30 days |
| Teva | OLOPATADINE SOL 0.2% | 30 days |
