Walmart water bottles urgently recalled after customers suffer 'permanent vision loss'

Younger generations seem to be much more hydration-conscious than their predecessors. While hydration is still a health challenge at population-wide levels, plenty of commentators have noted that millennial's and Gen Z are more preoccupied with water than their parents.

Plenty of brands have thrived on the hydration boom.

Just look at the likes of the Chilly’s bottle or the Stanley Cup, and the fact you’ve likely seen someone carrying one or the other at some point in your day, and you can see for yourself that water has become a bigger priority for a lot of people.

Hydration is a more pressing concern for Gen Z and Millennials (Jordi Salas/Getty Images)

Sadly, the hydration-conscious may need to rethink their preferred water carrying system, particularly if they’ve gone for an option from Walmart.

A recall affecting 850,000 bottles has been issued on the Walmart-exclusive Ozark Trail Stainless Steel Insulated Water Bottle.

The recall is a pretty serious one, with a defect leading to a couple of people reporting eye injuries that have resulted in permanent vision loss.

The lid can be ‘forcefully ejected from these bottles upon opening’, and so they pose a significant risk of injury.

These bottles carry the model number 83-662 on their packaging, although it’s not printed on the bottles themselves. They’re silver with a black screw-cap lid with a plastic loop over the top, and they have dimensions of 4.41 x 4.41 x 11.5 inches.

If you have one, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has urged customers to stop using them.

“Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled water bottles and contact Walmart for a full refund. Consumers can bring the bottle to their nearest Walmart store for a refund,” CPSC said in the recall statement.

The affected bottles don't carry product codes, but their original packaging does (US Consumer Product Safety Commission)

It continued: “Walmart has received three reports of consumers who were injured when struck in the face by a lid forcefully ejected from these bottles upon opening. Two consumers suffered permanent vision loss after being struck in the eye.”

The bottles have been sold exclusively at Walmart stores and via Walmart.com since 2017, generally priced at $15.

It seems that the issue is most pronounced when using the bottle with a carbonated drink or with any contents that can create internal pressure. At any rate, continued use isn’t worth the risk of injury, so do be sure to check whether your bottle is affected.