A study conducted by Mount Sinai Health System has found self-imposed use cessation dates (SUCDs) for ophthalmic eye drop bottles increased waste and costs compared to dates listed by the FDA.
Over six weeks, researchers at the New York-based health system collected discarded bottles from three of its ambulatory sites and recorded the amount of medication left in the bottle.
According to the study, published July 1 in Ophthalmology, 72% of the medication remained in the bottle on average when SUCDs were followed. Comparatively, 91% of the discarded bottles would have been empty if providers adhered to FDA expiration dates.
The study's findings suggest following FDA guidelines could have reduced the number of discarded bottles by 72% and could have saved the three sites studied more than $80,000.
"This important study helps guide our understanding of potential areas of waste that can be addressed in the eye care field," study co-author James Tsai, MD, said in a July 1 news release from Mount Sinai. Dr. Tsai is the president of New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai.