Naphazoline Shortage Update: What Patients Need to Know in 2026

If you've been searching for naphazoline and finding confusing information online — including reports that the drug is "no longer available" — this guide will clarify exactly what's happening in 2026, what products are still on shelves, and what your options are.

Is There a Naphazoline Shortage in 2026?

No. As of 2026, there is no active FDA-reported drug shortage for naphazoline or naphazoline-containing products. The FDA maintains a current drug shortage database, and naphazoline is not listed. This is not a supply chain or manufacturing crisis.

However, patients are running into a different problem: standalone naphazoline — plain naphazoline eye drops without additional ingredients — was voluntarily discontinued by manufacturers. The FDA confirmed that this discontinuation was not for safety or efficacy reasons. It appears to be a market decision, as combination products (naphazoline plus lubricants or antihistamines) have become the dominant commercial form.

What Is Still Available?

The good news is that naphazoline combination products are widely stocked across pharmacies nationwide and online. Patients can still find:

Naphazoline/glycerin (Clear Eyes Redness Relief): Available at CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Target, and most grocery stores; $7–$15 per bottle

Naphazoline/pheniramine (Naphcon-A, Visine-A, Opcon-A): For both redness and allergy-related itching; $10–$18 per bottle

Naphazoline nasal drops (0.05%): Less commonly stocked but available at some pharmacies and online for temporary nasal congestion

Understanding the Difference: Shortage vs. Discontinuation

It's important to understand the distinction between a drug shortage and a market discontinuation:

Drug shortage: A temporary supply disruption where demand exceeds available supply. This is tracked by the FDA and ASHP. Naphazoline does NOT currently have an active shortage.

Market discontinuation: A manufacturer's decision to stop producing a specific product version. Standalone naphazoline was discontinued, but naphazoline remains available in combination products.

For most patients, this distinction means: if you need naphazoline for eye redness, you can find it — you just need to look for combination brand-name products rather than a plain generic bottle.

Could Combination Products Become Harder to Find?

There are no current indicators of any supply issues with naphazoline combination products. They are manufactured by multiple companies (Prestige Brands, Bausch + Lomb, Medline, Altaire Pharmaceuticals, and others), which provides supply redundancy. Individual SKUs may be temporarily out of stock at specific store locations, but the category as a whole has no shortage risk.

What Should Patients Do Right Now?

Look for brand-name combination products (Clear Eyes, Naphcon-A, Visine-A) instead of searching for plain "naphazoline"

Check the ingredients label for "naphazoline HCl" to confirm the product you're buying contains naphazoline

Consider ordering online (Amazon, Walgreens.com, CVS.com) if your local pharmacy is out of a specific product

Consider alternative products (Lumify, ketotifen, olopatadine) if you need something your pharmacy has in stock right now

How medfinder Can Help

Even for OTC medications, finding the specific product you need at a pharmacy near you can take time. medfinder covers all medications — including OTC items — and calls pharmacies near you to check which ones have your product in stock. You provide the medication name and zip code; medfinder does the calling and texts you the results.

If you want to explore other options in the same category, see our full comparison of alternatives to naphazoline.