FDA issues warning over contact lens solution (Re Nu)

[leftchick]

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=local&id=4072997

(New York -WABC, April 10, 2006) - Reports of a rare but serious fungal infection in some soft contact lens wearers are prompting Bausch and Lomb to stop shipping one of its contact lens solutions.

The product in question is the "ReNu MoistureLoc" brand.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration made the announcement on Monday, saying that the Centers for Disease Control has received reports of 109 cases of suspected fungal keratitis in 17 different states.

The FDA says few patients have been interviewed, but 30 have and 26 of them reported using a Bausch & Lomb ReNu brand contact lens solution in the month prior to the onset of infection.

[BrklynLiberal]

1. Thanks for this!!

:thumbsup:

[leftchick]

2. I use Renu

but I think it is the old version. I hope. :(

[BrklynLiberal]

3. I have semi-rigid, gas-permeable lenses and use Advance, but my son

has the soft lenses, so I amsending this article to him.

[Beausoir]

4. WOW! I think this was the solution that was being touted as a method to

combat dry eye.

My eye doctor told me not to use it..that it was a waste of money. I am glad that I listened to him. Still wish I could resume wearing contacts...damn dry eye syndrome.

[leftchick]

5. Apparently

9 out of the sufferers slept with their contacts on. A BIG no NO! I am sure that made a big difference.

[American Tragedy]

6. I must confess I've done that once in a while by accident

I do not recommend it. Quite uncomfortable.

[Beausoir]

11. Yes..I did it once. Really painful.

I used to be able to nap with my contacts in, but no longer. Can't even wear them anymore. :cry:

Regarding this Moisture-Loc solution, my eye doctor said it is basically a worthless proposition. It MAY provide some additional moisture for your eyes, but it would be very short-lived...10 or 15 minutes at best. But..the fact that these infections are springing up may signify that something is indeed going on with the solution.

[LiberalHeart]

12. Did you ever try...

...getting tear duct plugs? Painless to put in (your opthamologist needs to insert them) ... takes all of about ten seconds. In the first few hours there is a very slight awareness of them being in place, but after that you feel nothing. They keep moisture in your eyes, instead of it running into your nose.

[Beausoir]

13. I haven't heard of that. Maybe I'll look into it. Thanks.

[meow2u3]

7. I'm allergic to ReNu

I used to wear contacts (and want to wear bifocal contacts), and ReNu used to irritate my eyes big time.

[SnohoDem]

8. Wow, thanks for posting this.

I use Renu MoistureLoc... or at least I did until a few minutes ago.

[intheozone]

9. Thanks for posting this information. I use this brand

and have been having a problem with my eye (the one in which I wear a contact) for about a month now. It's been bloodshot, swollen and irritated. I think I'll go see my eye dr.! Thanks again.

[eyeontheprize]

10. Thaks. nt

[suffragette]

14. Had a feeling when I first saw reports of this infection that it would

be from a product, either a solution or a brand of lens.
The initial reports said they thougt it had to do with locale, but later in the article it said people in colder states as well as in warm weather ones were affected, so that didn't make sense.

The article also says:
The FDA says patients reported using a variety of different ReNu types from multiple different product lots. Five of the patients reported using other solutions in addition to the ReNu product.

I wonder if the reason they stopped shipping the one type of ReNu was that it came up most often of the types of ReNu used?