October 20, 2014 — A recent study (PDF) has found that laundry detergent pods can potentially cause severe eye injuries, including complete corneal abrasions, especially in young children.
Ten cases of laundry detergent pod eye injuries in children under 4 years old were highlighted by Dr. Michael Gray and Dr. Constance West of the Abrahamson Pediatric Eye Institute at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.
They began looking into the risk after noticing an unusual increase in the number of injuries. During the study, 21 other children were poisoned after ingesting detergent in a laundry pod.
The researchers warned that pods are designed to be more concentrated than traditional liquid detergent, with stronger chemicals and surfactants that are more likely to cause injury when they are ingested or get into the eyes.
Of the 10 reports involving eye injuries, 2 occurred after children bit down on the pod, 7 occurred after children who squeezed the pods, and one case had an unknown cause.
All of the children had a corneal abrasion, which is essentially a scratch or scrape on the surface of the eye. The abrasions ranged in size from 3-mm to a near-complete abrasion of the cornea. There were also three children who had swelling of the eyes and/or redness of the mucous membranes around the eyes.
The biggest manufacturer of laundry detergent pods, including Costco’s Kirkland brand and Procter & Gamble’s Tide, have redesigned their products and added warnings about eye irritation. However, many off-label and generic products continue to sell the candy-sized, brightly-colored, sweet-smelling pods in clear containers with flimsy lids that look like candy jars.
Do I have a Laundry Detergent Pod Injury Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting laundry detergent pod induced injury cases in all 50 states. If your child or somebody you know has been diagnosed with a corneal abrasion or other injury, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Product Liability Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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