Metropolis Reality Forums - Contact lens solution eyed in fungus outbreak

Sponsored by: The Fans!

Welcome, Guest. Please Login or Register.
Nov 24^th, 2024, 10:03am

Upcoming Premiere Dates:
Survivor 23, Season premiere
Thursday, September 14 (8:00-9:30 PM, ET/PT) on CBS

Metropolis Reality Forums Ť Contact lens solution eyed in fungus outbreak ť

   Metropolis Reality Forums
   Off-Topic Forums
   In the News (Moderators: lakelady, yesteach, MediaScribe, Bumper, Isle_be_back)
   Contact lens solution eyed in fungus outbreak

Previous topic | New Topic | Next topic »

Pages: 1

Add Poll

Notify of replies

Send Topic

Author

Topic: Contact lens solution eyed in fungus outbreak (Read 382 times)

JP
Moderator
ForumsNet Member

Ditch IE. Use Firefox.

Gender:

Posts: 14706

Contact lens solution eyed in fungus outbreak
« on: Apr 17^th, 2006, 2:36pm »

Quote

Modify

Contact lens solution eyed in fungus outbreak
Bausch & Lomb product linked to infection that can cause blindness
The Associated Press
Updated: 1:53 p.m. ET April 11, 2006

WASHINGTON - Bausch & Lomb voluntarily suspended shipment of a contact lens solution after federal health officials linked it Monday to a fungal eye infection that can cause temporary blindness.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating 109 reports of Fusarium keratitis infection in patients in 17 states since June 2005.

Federal and state health officials have interviewed just 30 of those patients. However, of the 28 who wore soft contact lens, 26 reported using Bausch & Lombs ReNu brand contact lens solution or a generic type of solution also made by the Rochester, N.Y., company.

Bausch & Lomb said it would temporarily suspend shipments of ReNu with MoistureLoc made at its Greenville, S.C., plant.

The CDC data released today are both troubling and perplexing, as there is an apparent disproportionate representation of U.S.-manufactured ReNu with MoistureLoc in the underlying data. The source of these infections has not been determined, company chairman and chief executive officer Ronald Zarrella said.

Five of the 26 patients also reported using other types of solutions in addition to ReNu, Bausch & Lomb said. And nine said they wore their lenses overnight, which is known to increase the risk of infection, the CDC said.

Dr. Daniel Schultz, director of the Food and Drug Administrations Center for Devices and Radiological Health, said it was too early to determine if Bausch & Lombs solution was the cause of the infections. Both the FDA and CDC are investigating a growing number of reports of infection by the fungus. An estimated 30 million Americans wear soft contact lenses.

We are relatively early in this investigation. It may be we will find this particular product does not have an association. We may find a strong association, Schultz told reporters.

The fungus is commonly found in plant material and soil in tropical and subtropical areas. Singapore health officials noticed an increase in reports of infection in January and discovered 39 cases involving contact lens users from 2005 to February of this year. Cases have also been reported in Malaysia and Hong Kong.

In February, Bausch & Lomb halted sales of its ReNu contact lens solution in Singapore and Hong Kong.

Infection can lead to blindness
Without treatment, which can last two to three months, the infection can scar the cornea and blind its victims. Eight U.S. patients have required cornea transplants.

Soft contact users with eye redness or pain, tearing, increased light sensitivity, blurred vision or discharge should stop wearing contacts and contact a doctor immediately, said Dr. Malvina Eydelman, director of the FDAs Division of Ophthalmic and Ear, Nose and Throat Devices. The FDA also advises users to wash their hands well with soap and water before handling lenses and to follow cleaning and storage guidelines.

In addition, contact lens wearers who use ReNu with MoistureLoc should do so with caution, the FDA said.
Š 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Š 2006 MSNBC.com

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12257519/

IP Logged

Isle_be_back
ForumsNet Moderator
Moderator
ForumsNet Member

Posts: 2270

Re: Contact lens solution eyed in fungus outbreak
« Reply #1 on: Apr 17^th, 2006, 6:49pm »

Quote

Modify

I'll bet they didn't see that coming. Shocked

IP Logged

yesteach
ForumsNet Administrator

Gender:

Posts: 10465

Re: Contact lens solution eyed in fungus outbreak
« Reply #2 on: Apr 17^th, 2006, 9:33pm »

Quote

Modify

on Apr 17^th, 2006, 6:49pm, ExIsle_be_back wrote:

I'll bet they didn't see that coming. Shocked

Not punny.. not punny at all.. Cheesy

On a more serious note, I was very careful what brand I bought yesterday when I bought contact solution...

« Last Edit: Apr 17^th, 2006, 9:34pm by yesteach »

IP Logged

There are only 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary, and those who don't.

JP
Moderator
ForumsNet Member

Ditch IE. Use Firefox.

Gender:

Posts: 14706

Re: Contact lens solution eyed in fungus outbreak
« Reply #3 on: Apr 17^th, 2006, 9:59pm »

Quote

Modify

I searched for this news because my brother's girlfriend told me yesterday that she saw in the news something about how contact lens solution can make you blind. I hope it's just because of the brand and not a general thing. And I hope they can isolate what compound/chemical causes the growth of fungus, because my lens cleaner might have it too!

IP Logged

Pages: 1

Add Poll

Notify of replies

Send Topic


Previous topic \| New Topic \| Next topic »