Balanced Salt is a prescription medicine. The sections below reproduce one FDA label for it, named under "Label". Products in other forms, strengths or from other makers have their own labels, which can differ.
- Type
- Prescription only (Rx)
- Brand names
- Bss
- Taken
- Ophthalmic
- Label
- Alcon Laboratories, Inc., revised January 25, 2024 · full label on DailyMed
- Generic
- No · details
What it is used for
For use as an extraocular and intraocular irrigating solution during ocular surgical procedure involving perfusion of the eye with an expected maximum duration of less than 60 minutes.
Warnings
- NOT FOR INJECTION OR INTRAVENOUS INFUSION.
- Do not use unless product is clear, seal is intact, and container is undamaged.
- Do not use if product is discolored or contains a precipitate.
- SINGLE patient use only. The contents of this bottle should not be used in more than one patient.
- This solution contains no preservative, unused contents should be discarded.
Precautions
Open under aseptic conditions only. Prior to use, check the following: tip should be firmly in place, irrigating needle should be properly seated; squeeze out several drops before inserting into anterior chamber. The needle should be removed from the anterior chamber prior to releasing pressure to prevent suction. Studies suggest that intraocular irrigating solutions which are iso-osmotic with normal aqueous fluids should be used with caution in diabetic patients undergoing vitrectomy since intraoperative lens changes have been observed. There have been reports of corneal clouding or edema following ocular surgery in which BSS Sterile Irrigating Solution was used as an irrigating solution.
Side effects (adverse reactions)
Irrigation or any other trauma to the corneal endothelium may result in corneal swelling or bullous keratopathy. Post-operative inflammatory reactions as well as incidents of corneal edema and corneal decompensation have been reported.
Is there a generic Balanced Salt?
No. The FDA has not approved a generic version yet.
Source: Drugs@FDA (via openFDA), checked October 29, 2026. Marketing status is what companies report to the FDA; whether a pharmacy stocks a product, and what your insurance covers, can differ.
Dosage:
we do not reproduce dosing instructions. The right dose depends on the person and the condition and is set by the prescriber or pharmacist. Dosage section of the full label.
Balanced salt in the news
We have not covered this medicine yet. Latest news
Recalls
No recalls matched to this medicine in FDA enforcement reports from the last 3 years (or older ones still open). Search all recalls
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Source: FDA structured product labeling, retrieved through openFDA. Label text is shown as published by the FDA, without editing; long sections are shortened, marked […]. openFDA data are not validated for clinical use — always check the current label and ask a doctor or pharmacist about your own treatment. Set ID 4bd4d59c-eb3b-4a5e-9eb7-ae95b0a92bea.