Brand name · Carboxymethylcellulose sodium
Refresh Tears: adverse event reports filed with FDA
1,250 reports list it as a suspect or interacting product, 2008–2026.
- 1,250
- reports as suspect product
- 0% of all reports · about 68 a year
- 147
- reports, 12 months to June 2026
- 145 in the 12 months before
- 84.8%
- marked serious by the reporter
- 57.4% across all reports
- 0.1%
- record death among outcomes, as reported
- 1 reports · not verified by FDA
1,250 adverse event reports received by FDA list the brand name Refresh Tears (carboxymethylcellulose sodium) as a suspect or interacting product, from January 2008 to June 2026. A further 1,686 reports list it only as a concomitant medication, and those are not counted in the figures on this page.
In the 12 months to June 2026, 147 reports listed it, close to the 145 of the 12 months before. FDA releases FAERS data quarterly, so the newest months are incomplete and grow in later releases. Over its reporting history that is about 68 reports a year and 0% of the 20,646,523 reports in the database. How many people take it is not in the data, so a count is not a rate of occurrence.
The reactions recorded most often are drug ineffective (53.4%), macular degeneration (51.6%) and cataract (16.2%). A report can list several reactions, so shares add to more than 100%; 160 different terms appear across these reports. Drug ineffective is recorded in 53.4% of these reports, against 6.3% of all reports in the database.
84.8% of the reports are marked serious by the reporter; 0.1% record death among the outcomes and 15.6% record hospitalisation, as reported. 67.3% of the reports came from consumers, and the largest patient age group is 65 to 74 (15.4%). FDA states that "a causal relationship cannot be established between product and reactions listed in a report" and that for any given report "there is no certainty that a suspected drug caused the event."
Reports by month, five years
Reports by the month FDA received them. FDA releases FAERS data quarterly, so the newest months are incomplete and grow in later releases.
By year received
2026 covers reports received through June 2026 only.
Reactions recorded in the reports
share of Refresh Tears reports recording the termall reports in the database
- Drug ineffectivethe medicine did not work as expected53.4%668
- Macular degenerationa disease of the central retina51.6%645
- Cataractclouding of the eye lens16.2%202
- Off label useused for a purpose or in a way not on the label15%188
- Malaisegeneral feeling of being unwell12.7%159
- Painpain, site not specified12.6%157
- Weight decreasedweight loss12.5%156
- Chronic sinusitis12.4%155
- Nauseafeeling sick12.3%154
- Paraesthesia oral12.3%154
- Pyrexiafever12.3%154
- Headachehead pain11.4%142
- Infusion related reactiona reaction during or soon after an infusion11.3%141
- Constipationconstipation11%138
- Erythemaskin redness11%138
- Dyspepsiaindigestion10.9%136
- Female genital tract fistula10.9%136
- Abdominal painstomach or belly pain10.8%135
- Frequent bowel movements10.8%135
- Haematocheziablood in the stool10.8%135
- Procedural painpain from a procedure10.8%135
- Anaemialow red blood cells10.7%134
- Colitisinflamed bowel10.7%134
- Colitis ulcerative10.7%134
- Oral candidiasisoral thrush10.7%134
- Radiculopathy10.7%134
- Rectal haemorrhage10.7%134
- Vaginal discharge10.7%134
- Vaginal flatulence10.7%134
Top 30 of 160 MedDRA preferred terms recorded across these reports, with a plain-language gloss where one is available. One report can record several terms. The hollow bar is the share of all reports in the database; it describes the reports, not the patients. FDA states that adverse event reports "represent a small percentage of total usage numbers of a product", that "common products may have a higher number of adverse events due to the higher total number of people using the product", and that the data "by themselves are not an indicator of the safety profile of the drug or biologic."
Outcomes recorded
Outcome flags as the reporter set them; a report can carry several, and "other serious" is FDA's own category for serious reports outside the named outcomes. Grey bar: all 20,646,523 reports. FDA has not verified any outcome and states that the reports "cannot be used to estimate the incidence of these events."
Patients and reporters
Patient age
Patient sex
Who reported
Age and sex as stated in the report; the reporter's qualification is the primary source recorded by FDA. 52% of reports give the United States as the country of the event or reporter.
Reason for use recorded
| Indication as recorded (MedDRA) | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Dry eye | 364 | 29.1% |
| Eye disorder | 2 | 0.2% |
| Eye lubrication therapy | 2 | 0.2% |
| Postoperative care | 2 | 0.2% |
The indication field is filled in by the reporter and is often blank; shares are of all 1,250 reports.
Drugs most often listed in the same reports
| Drug (any role in the report) | Reports | Share of Refresh Tears reports |
|---|---|---|
| Nadolol | 596 | 47.7% |
| Alprazolam | 590 | 47.2% |
| Metronidazole | 580 | 46.4% |
| Clotrimazole | 575 | 46% |
| Nicoderm Cq | 572 | 45.8% |
| Prednisone | 572 | 45.8% |
| Desonide | 565 | 45.2% |
| Pregabalin | 564 | 45.1% |
| Clarithromycin | 556 | 44.5% |
| Bisacodyl | 555 | 44.4% |
Other products listed in reports where Refresh Tears is a suspect product, whatever their own role. Co-listing means the two were recorded together; it says nothing about either product's part in the event. Only the 2,500 most-reported names are counted here.
In context
| Measure | Refresh Tears | All reports |
|---|---|---|
| Reports as suspect product | 1,250 | 20,646,523 |
| Share of that pool | — | 0% |
| Reports, latest 12 months | 147 | 1,332,454 |
| Marked serious | 84.8% | 57.4% |
| Death recorded among outcomes, per 1,000 reports | 1 | 91 |
| Hospitalisation recorded, per 1,000 reports | 156 | 213 |
| Consumer-filed share | 67.3% | 45.8% |
| Top term, share of reports | Drug ineffective 53.4% | 6.3% |
Shares are of reports, not of patients treated. The number of people taking a product is not in the data, so none of these figures is a rate, and differences between columns reflect who takes a product, who reports and how long it has been sold. FDA states that adverse event reports "represent a small percentage of total usage numbers of a product", that "common products may have a higher number of adverse events due to the higher total number of people using the product", and that the data "by themselves are not an indicator of the safety profile of the drug or biologic."
Questions about Refresh Tears reports
How many adverse event reports has FDA received for Refresh Tears?
1,250 reports list Refresh Tears as a suspect or interacting product in the openFDA FAERS release of 28 Sep 2026, covering reports received through June 2026. 147 of them arrived in the latest 12 months. Another 1,686 list it only as a concomitant medication.
What reactions are recorded in Refresh Tears reports?
drug ineffective (53.4%), macular degeneration (51.6%), cataract (16.2%), off label use (15%) and therapeutic product effect incomplete (13%). These are MedDRA preferred terms coded from what the reporter described; a report can list several, and a term's presence is not a finding that Refresh Tears was responsible.
How serious are the reports?
84.8% are marked serious by the reporter. Among the outcomes recorded, 0.1% of reports include death and 15.6% include hospitalisation. FDA has not verified these outcomes and states that the reports "cannot be used to estimate the incidence" of the events.
Who files these reports?
consumer or non-health professional (67.3%), other health professional (27.7%) and physician (3.5%). Most reports reach FDA through the manufacturer, which must forward reports it receives.
Are reports for Refresh Tears rising?
147 reports in the 12 months to June 2026, close to the 145 of the 12 months before. FDA releases FAERS data quarterly, so the newest months are incomplete and grow in later releases. Counts also move with how many people take a product, its time on the market and publicity.
Do these reports show that Refresh Tears was responsible for these reactions?
No. FDA states that "a causal relationship cannot be established between product and reactions listed in a report" and that for any given report "there is no certainty that a suspected drug caused the event." The reaction may relate to the condition being treated, to other medicines, or to something else.
Is this a list of the side effects of Refresh Tears?
No. It is a count of what was reported to FDA. The adverse reactions observed in clinical studies are printed on the FDA-approved label, which a pharmacist or clinician can go through with you.
How do I report an adverse event?
Consumers and health professionals can report to FDA through MedWatch (Form FDA 3500 online, or 1-800-FDA-1088), or to the manufacturer, which must pass reports on. See the guide on how to report.
Where this comes from. Counts are built from the openFDA Drug Adverse Event (FAERS) bulk export released 28 Sep 2026, which holds reports FDA received through 30 Jun 2026. Drug names are as reported, resolved to the brand or generic name on the FDA label where openFDA's harmonisation matched them; classes are the pharmacologic class (EPC) from the label and the National Drug Code Directory of 17 Sep 2026. A report counts here when it lists Refresh Tears as a suspect or interacting product; reports listing it only as a concomitant medication (1,686) are excluded. No report narrative, lot number, patient detail or reporter identity is published. See the methodology and sources; FDA's record is authoritative, and corrections are handled within five working days.
Drug data (FAERS) through 30 Jun 2026; device data (MAUDE) through 31 Aug 2026. Not medical advice.