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Bausch & Lomb announces new recall of its ReNu MultiPlus contact lens solution
March 6, 2007, Bausch & Lomb announced a recall of certain lots of ReNu MultiPlus contact lens solution due to an elevated amount of trace iron, which could potentially shorten the shelf life and discolor the product. The recall of the 12 lots throughout the United States, Canada, Latin America, Korea, and Taiwan covers approximately one million bottles of solution. The recalled lots are marked with the “2008-03” expiration date. Although there have been no reports of injury, the eye is susceptible to any number of conditions that can result in permanent disability.
FDA Alerts on Complete MoisturePLUS
On November 22, 2006 the Food and Drug and Drug Administration and Advanced Medical Optics, Inc. altered the consuming public and the healthcare infrastructure about a recall of 18 lots of Complete MoisturePLUS multipurpose contact lens care solution and Active Packs sent to distributors throughout the United States. These 18 lots of solution were allegedly contaminated with bacteria that may result in eye infections and microbial keratitis.
If you are a contact lens wearer and you use Complete MoisturePLUS multipurpose contact lens and suffer:
- Pain
- Tearing
- Light sensitivity
- Blurry vision
- Swelling
- Discharge
- Redness
You need to discontinue using the product and consult a doctor immediately.
Contact Lens Solution Dangers and Side Effects - ReNu MoistureLoc
Medical optic giant Bausch & Lomb was recently forced to put an immediate halt on all shipping of its ReNu MoistureLoc brand contact lens solution throughout the United States after a number of consumers began to suffer from a serious eye infection linked to the product. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention alerted the Food and Drug Administration of 109 initial reports of an uncommon fungal infection across 17 states that could potentially lead to vision problems - even blindness. Although the FDA has not found a link between the Fusarium fungus and particular product, 26 of these people were found to have used the ReNu MoistureLoc solution. This action on April 11, 2006 follows a similar Bausch & Lomb suspension of product shipment in Hong Kong and Singapore due to initial reports of eye infections in February of 2006.
Based in Rochester, New York, Bausch & Lomb was founded in 1853 and has since become one of the world’s largest suppliers of contact lenses, optic cleaning supplies, and surgical instruments. With over 10,000 employees in the United States and having earned over $2.23 billion in revenues in 2005, Bausch & Lomb is one of the most important businesses in America today. While millions of people around world trust and rely on Bausch & Lomb products every day, this trust is eroded when the company’s products are linked to such potentially dangerous problems.
Unfortunately, because Bausch & Lomb is such a large and powerful entity, the company has vast resources to draw from when defending themselves against allegations of defective products. If the history of corporate accountability is any indication, individuals injured by the side effects of such products as ReNu MoistureLoc brand contact lens solution will have to fight aggressively in order to force the company to take responsibility for the unjust injuries and will need the best legal guidance available in order to ensure that their voice is heard. Experienced and dedicated legal representation can help ensure that even large corporations like Bausch & Lomb are held accountable for the actions that compromise consumer safety.
ReNu MoistureLoc Dangers and Side Effects
When Bausch & Lomb halted all shipping of its ReNu MoistureLoc brand contact lens solution on April 10, 2005 because of a potential link to a serious eye infection known as Fusarium Keratitis, millions of consumers were left with the fear that they may have already contracted the fungal infection.
The recent firestorm started when the Center for Disease Control and Prevention alerted the FDA of reports that a number of consumers were beginning to suffer from a rare and severe infection of the eye. In fact, there were 109 initial reports of the infection across at least 17 states.
The FDA immediately alerted physicians and patients of the link to the fungal keratitis and warned that the infection can cause permanent blindness, citing that some patients had already reported a significant loss of vision that necessitated a corneal transplant to remedy. The agency joined with the CDC in urging consumers to take precautions to prevent contamination, including washing hands with soap and water and keeping the contact lens case clean.
The fungal keratitis infection can develop throughout the cornea and can require extensive and prolonged drug therapy with a variety of antifungal medications. Surgery could be necessary if the eye suffers from damage before the medications work or if they fail to work at all. Symptoms of Fusarium Keratitis include pain and discomfort in the eye and a decrease in vision.
The ReNu MoistureLoc contact eye solution was recently recalled by Bausch & Lomb on May 15, 2006 as more and more evidence began to materialize linking the product to a dangerous eye infection called Fusarium keratitis. The eye infection is known to have affected at least 106 people so far, according to the Center for Disease Control & Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration.
The FDA has been monitoring the events closely, ever since the agency was alerted to a rash of infections by the CDC in early April. On April 10th, the FDA agency warned healthcare professionals and soft contact lens patients to the rare but serious fungal infection Fusarium keratitis that can lead to permanent loss of sight, including some victims who ultimately needed a corneal transplant.
The FDA and the CDC continued to monitor the lens solution and the infection and began to test the manufacturing site in Greenville, SC. FDA officials met with Bausch & Lomb representatives on Thursday, May 11, 2006 to share information from the optic supplier’s internal investigation into cases of the infection associated with the ReNu with MoistureLoc product.
On May 15, 2006, the FDA alerts on Bausch continued, as the agency notified the public about Bausch & Lomb’s decision to recall the product entirely, due to fears that the unique characteristics of the solution’s formulation in certain unusual circumstances can increase the risk of the fungal infection.
Fusarium Keratitis and Fungal Keratitis
The recent recall of ReNu with MoistureLoc contact lens solution on May 15, 2006 may have come too late for countless consumers who may have contracted the Fusarium Keratitis and Fungal Keratitis infection linked to Bausch & Lomb’s lens product. The CDC and FDA are still investigating over 100 cases of confirmed infections, many of them developing in patients who have used the ReNu solution.
Fusarium Keratitis and Fungal Keratitis are two names for the inflammation of the cornea that can infect the front part of the eye. While keratitis itself has a number of potential causes, this particular strain is caused by the Fusarium fungus. Until recently, this disease has rarely affected healthy contact lens consumers and it generally only occurs after some form of traumatic association with plant materials.
The symptoms of Fusarium Keratitis and Fungal Keratitis vary from minor irritation to extreme pain. Some of these include redness and pain of the eye, blurred vision, light sensitivity, discharge, and excessive tearing. If a patient has been infected, antifungals and other medications used in drug therapy can be used. However, if these drugs are ineffective or if the eye has already been damaged beyond repair, corneal surgery may be required.
Although Bausch & Lomb announced that it was withdrawing all ReNu with MoistureLoc products on April 13, 2006, it wasn’t until May 15, 2006 that the company officially recalled the dangerous product from the American market. As of May 9, 2006, the Center for Disease Control & Prevention had already received 106 reports of confirmed cases of innocent victims who were already paying the price for the company’s slow response.
If you or someone you know developed a severe eye infection due to the ReNu MoistureLoc brand contact lens solution, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your physical and emotional suffering. Americans who helped the company pull in $45 million for the ReNu MoistureLoc system last year deserve answers, and consumers should not be forced to pay for a company’s negligence or irresponsibility. A knowledgeable product liability attorney cannot help alleviate these devastating side effects, but they can help you fight to get the restitution you deserve. Contact one of our product liability lawyers today to discuss ReNu MoistureLoc dangers and side effects, fill out our free case review form now.
Updated on 3/6/07. FDA Alerts, Recall on MultiPLUS
Additional side effectes include: Fusarium Keratitis eye infection, Blindness, eye injury and loss of vision due to Fungal Keratitis. Vision problems resulting from side effects of ReNu with MoistureLoc recall are very serious - consult a ReNu recall lawyer today for a free case review.
