Unseeing eye: dangerous eye drops found on sale on the Internet
Potentially dangerous eye drops have been found on the Internet for free sale. This follows from a letter to Roszdravnadzor from the Anti-Counterfeit association, which conducted a study of the drug market. Its results revealed that 43 names have no data on state registration, and 21 have suspended or terminated declarations of conformity. Public activists believe that the sale of such drops can harm the health of Russians, and ask Roszdravnadzor to take measures to check sellers. Some online sites have announced internal checks on sales of such goods.
How unregistered drops ended up on sale
The sale of eye drops, which may pose a danger to consumer health, has been discovered on Russian online platforms. The International Association "Anti-Counterfeit" conducted a study of 131 items in this category and identified significant violations, as a result of which public activists appealed to Roszdravnadzor. Izvestia has reviewed the document.
In it, social activists point out that, as a rule, the description of these products indicates that they are used to treat or prevent certain ophthalmological diseases, as well as restore vision in myopia and hyperopia. That is, they have the characteristics of medicines and medical devices.
"The monitoring results show that 43 of the products studied do not have data on the state registration of a medicinal product or medical device. At the same time, declarations of conformity have been suspended or terminated for 21 items of goods. In addition, there is no information in Russian on the packaging of the 21 studied drugs, which not only directly contradicts the requirements of Russian legislation, but also makes it significantly difficult for consumers to obtain information about products that enable their correct selection and use," Vladislav Reznik, head of the Anti—Counterfeit Association, informs the service.
As an example, social activists cite anti-allergic eye drops from the Japanese manufacturer Santen. On the package, among the indications for use, relief of allergic symptoms, elimination of itching, inflammation, and blurred eyes are indicated. At the same time, it is noted that the drops are not a medical product. In addition, the declaration authorizing their sale was suspended on September 2, 2025, but the goods are still being sold.
The study also mentions drops from the Indian manufacturer Al Shams. In the description to them, the seller states that they improve eyesight, relieve itching, tearing, redness, allergies, and treat cataracts. But they do not have a registration certificate for sale in Russia, and there is no information in Russian on the product packaging. Meanwhile, customers in their reviews report that this drug causes severe allergies and burning of the eyes.
"The current practice of trafficking eye drops (eye drops) products on marketplaces creates a situation in which consumers can purchase products that are potentially dangerous to their health, which entails direct risks of harm to the life and health of citizens," the appeal to Roszdravnadzor says.
"Anti-counterfeit" asks the agency to check the legality of the sale of these goods. Izvestia sent a request to Roszdravnadzor with a request to clarify whether any measures will be taken upon the appeal of public figures.
— The use of such drops can be dangerous for vision. The effect on the organs of vision of certain drugs, the chemical composition of which has not been checked by specialists and their quality, safety and effectiveness have not been officially certified, for example, with a certificate of state registration, can cause the most serious complications, including chemical burns," Vladislav Reznik, the author of the appeal, the head of Anti—Counterfeit, explained to Izvestia.
At the same time, according to him, when the description of such products promises the treatment of serious diseases, such as cataracts, then, in addition to direct harm to health and consequences in the form of a neglected disease, this fact undermines the faith of citizens in the protection of their rights. Systematic work of all market participants — the regulator, trading platforms, manufacturers, sellers and industry associations - is necessary to reduce risks, the head of the public organization believes.
Measures to combat dangerous drugs
Some online platforms have already announced that they will study the situation with the sale of such drops.
— The company launched an internal audit on the sale of this category of goods on the site and additionally requested declarations of conformity from sellers. At the moment, some of the cards are hidden from the showcase, including at the initiative of the sellers themselves, the press service of the RVB (Wildberries & Rus) told Izvestia.
They also noted that the company's specialists continue to intensively monitor product cards in this category. In case of any violations on the part of sellers, the platform takes measures to eliminate them, representatives of the marketplace emphasized.
— The company always responds promptly to requests from its customers, government agencies and public organizations, conducts a monitoring check on the goods and requests the necessary product documentation from the seller. In case of any violations, we take immediate measures to block the sale of such products," the press service explained, noting that a complex of specialized ML models operates around the clock on the marketplace, providing moderation of product cards based on visual and textual semantics.
For additional control over the quality of goods, the marketplace has proactively integrated with state registers, which help ensure that documents and certificates of goods in different categories are checked online, the RVB said.
— We work with regulatory authorities and respond quickly to requests from customers and public organizations to make purchases on our platform even safer. We have checked and blocked several product cards for which the Antriconfact organization found an incomplete set of documents," the Ozon press service noted.
They also reported that eye drops on the marketplace are sold only in the Pharmacy section, sellers have access to it if they have a pharmaceutical license.
— According to our rules, in order to sell such goods, the seller must have all the necessary documents for the goods, including a registration certificate. At the end of December, we strengthened the control of such documents together with Roszdravnadzor: medical devices without a registration certificate will not be available for sale," the company stressed.
Izvestia sent a request to other online platforms.
Any drugs and medicines that are not registered in Russia have no right to be used either in pharmacology, medicine, or in any field of life, ophthalmologist and laser surgeon Ksenia Chinenova told Izvestia.
— Of course, if a drug has not been registered in the Russian Federation, it does not mean that it is immediately 100% bad, but if it is not registered, it creates a risk to health and to further protect one's rights as a consumer if some complication occurs after using them, — she explained.
According to her, drugs that are sold on online platforms are usually imported to Russia from Asian countries. They are mainly positioned as moisturizing drops and are treated according to the principle of "one answer for all troubles."
— But this is fundamentally wrong, since most eye diseases are not treated with drops. And they usually have a list of all diseases from medical clinics, which are often referred to by gullible buyers, as recommendations for use. But you always need to understand what causes and for what, each substance must have some kind of pharmacology and give some kind of effect. If this is not the case, then the person gets a pig in a poke," said Ksenia Chinenova.
She also noted that such products may contain both permitted and prohibited components, including various vitamins, which make no sense to drip, since the eyes do not absorb them, the expert emphasized. She also noted that instead of benefits, such drugs can cause allergies and complications of chronic diseases, but people don't think about it.
Often, such preparations contain menthol, which supposedly refreshes, cleanses and gives lightness to the eyes, but such use is prohibited, Ksenia Chinenova added. Therefore, no menthol-containing drug has been registered in the Russian Federation and a number of other countries, the doctor stressed.
She drew attention to the fact that such drops most often contain vasoconstrictive components that create only a temporary "white eyes" effect. However, after some time, the condition may worsen more than before the start of the drug. Without understanding the reasons, people are starting to use such products more often and in large quantities, without thinking about possible complications, including, in particular, dry eye syndrome, the ophthalmologist explained.
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