Do eye drops really expire?

[Nancy T]

Is an unopened bottle of Systane that's 1.5 years past its expiration date safe to use? At least until I can get to the store for a fresh bottle?

[JohnHaganMD]

I can't tell you to use them but I can tell you that if I had 4 units of systane ultra unopened with an expiration of March 2015 I would not hesitate to use on myself

JCH MD

[JohnHaganMD]

This is one of those situations that I can't say their okay to us. All I can say is that the expiration date is an inventory date (after don't sell) not the date the produce becomes inactive.

JCH MD

[JacMH]

Thanks Dr. JCH.
Just the information I was looking for.

No information on their site. http://www.systane.ca/default.aspx
and they put expiry only 9 months after mfg date.

I have four Systane Ultra mfd; 2014/06 exp; 2015/03

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

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[Nancy T]

Aack! Flight delays are rotten. I'll just wish you good luck, then.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

"Good trip" is out the window. Our flight is 4 hours delayed and we may get stuck in Washington DC tonight. Flying in the East is difficult.

JCH MD

[Nancy T]

Great! Thanks, Dr. Hagan, and I hope you have a good trip.

Off to the torture of instilling eyedrops... gulp...

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

I used a 2 year old unopened bottle of systane in my eyes this morning (I'm on a trip to Washington DC). The expiration date has nothing to do with the medicine efficacy it is an inventory control thing.

We have two Eye MDs that take our out of date samples to third world clinics and they work fine

JCH MD