The FDA is sounding the alarm about contaminated eye drops. Here's what consumers should know.

Consumers who use eye drops have been spooked this year by a rash of government warnings about dozens of brands potentially containing bacteria.

The Food and Drug Administration earlier this year announced a spate of recalls of eye drop products linked to four deaths and multiple cases of vision loss. In August, the agency warned against using two additional eye drop products because of the risk of potential bacterial or fungal contamination. Most recently, the FDA last week urged consumers to stop using 27 eye drop products potentially tainted with bacteria.

The flurry of warnings has left some consumers uneasy about using their favorite artificial tears. Yet consumers shouldn't be alarmed, experts told CBS MoneyWatch, noting that the warnings simply shows that regulators are taking a closer look at over-the-counter eye drops, which should make the products suffer in the long run.