Where is the expiration date on eye drops?

On both the bottle and the carton. A federal rule, 21 CFR 201.17, says that when a drug carries an expiration date it has to appear on the immediate container and on the outer package too, unless it can be read through that packaging. Look for “EXP” followed by a month and year, usually printed beside the lot number on a carton flap and along the edge of the bottle label.

On the carton

Turn the box over and look at the end flaps first, then the bottom and the side panels. The date is often printed by machine after the box is made, so it may sit in a plain white area or overlap the artwork slightly. Some cartons have it pressed into the cardboard with no ink, which is nearly invisible in dim light. Tilt the box under a lamp or window so the raised marks cast a shadow.

On the bottle

An eye drop bottle doesn’t leave much room for a label. The date is usually in small type along one edge, sometimes running vertically. On some bottles it’s printed straight on the plastic. If the print has rubbed off from riding around in a pocket, the carton is your backup, which is a good reason not to throw the box away until the bottle is finished.

Reading the format

• “EXP 08/2027” or “EXP 08 2027”: month, then year.
• “EXP 2027-08” or “2027/08”: year first, then month.
• “EXP AUG 2027”: the month spelled out or abbreviated.
• A full day, month and year is less common on small cartons but does turn up.

When only a month and year appear and you’re right at the edge, the cautious choice is to switch to a fresh bottle before that month starts rather than in its final days. If you want a firmer answer for a particular product, a pharmacist can tell you how they read it.

Why the date is on both pieces

The rule exists because the two pieces get separated. Cartons go in the recycling and bottles travel in bags, desks and car consoles. Having the date on each means you can still check it on whichever piece you’ve kept. There’s a related federal rule, 21 CFR 211.137, saying expiration dates come from stability testing, so the date reflects how long the product was shown to hold up under the storage conditions on its label.

If your bottle is past its date

• Don’t use it. Replace it with a fresh bottle.
• Dispose of it the way how to dispose of eye drops describes.
• Check your spares while you’re at it, and move the earliest date to the front.
• If you used a few drops before noticing and your eyes feel fine, there’s no need to panic, but stop and mention it to a pharmacist if you have questions.

If a new order arrives close to its date, or past it

Check the dates on every bottle when a delivery comes in. If a Quell bottle arrives already past its expiration date, that’s an incorrect order, and we replace incorrect orders within 30 days of delivery. Call 615.465.6041 (M–F 9AM–5PM CST) with your order number and the date on the bottle. If you simply ordered more than you’ll use before the dates come up, our terms allow 30-day refunds on unopened bottles, no need to send them back, as long as you’re within 30 days of delivery.

Keeping track of dates at home

Once you’ve found the date, make it easy to see next time. Write it in large marker on the front of the carton, or on a strip of tape on the bottle if the label leaves room. If you keep spares, line them up with the earliest date at the front of the drawer. A reminder in your phone for the month before the earliest date takes ten seconds to set and saves a surprise. Anyone helping a relative manage several medicines can use the same trick for every box in the cabinet, which also makes a pharmacist visit quicker.

The date isn’t the only check

A bottle within its date can still be one not to use. Quell’s Do not use line reads “If this product changes color,” and its storage line reads “Store between 15° to 30°C (59° to 86°F).” A bottle that was left in a hot car or froze in a garage deserves a careful look whatever its date says. The color is milky brown to begin with; The eye drops have a naturally milky-brown appearance. This is normal and does not indicate a problem with the product.

For how long drops keep in general, and what “opened” versus “unopened” means for the date, see do eye drops expire?. The full panel is on our Drug Facts page.