Recall on a contact lens solution

[Jae Onasi]

Just a public service announcement from your friendly eye-person type because I'm guessing a pretty good number of people here wear contacts....

 

There's a recall on Complete Moisture Plus Multipurpose contact lens solution (see article in Chicago Tribune). While the US is the only one conducting the recall, it's prudent for anyone using this solution to stop using it immediately until they can figure out the link. There's been a jump in acanthamoeba cases, which is a parasite that can cause serious eye damage. People usually (but not always) pick it up by swimming in their contacts or wearing contacts while in a hot tub. Doctors noticed that a significant number of patients coming down with this bug, which can cause blindness, also were using this solution. AMO is pulling the product until they can determine what's contributing to this.

 

This actually is not related at all to the Renu Moisureloc recall from a couple years back--that was associated with fungal infections, and fungus and acanthamoeba are different.

 

Anyway, if you're using Complete, the CDC recommends you throw away the contacts that have been in that solution, the solution itself, and the contact lens case. There's a phone number in the article to call if you have questions.

[Darth333]

That's what I use...never had any problems in years though.

 

Anyway, here is a link to the FDA news too since the Chicago Tribune requires registration in order to be able to view it: http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01641.html

[Jeff]

I use opti-free so I guess I don't have to worry about it.

[Mike Windu]

Yay for not having contact lenses.

[Negative Sun]

Not heard anything about it here Jae, and we would know at our store, we have about 2000 contact lens customers on file here lol

But it's good to know this kind of thing, you learn something new every day

[Jae Onasi]

@NS--it just came out here in the US on Friday. It's the FDA that issued the recall and since the FDA is US specific, it doesn't surprise me that it's not a worldwide thing.

 

The Univ of IL-Chicago docs saw an increase from 1 or 2 cases of acanthamoeba a year to 12--that's a huge increase for this condition since it often causes partial or total blindness because it's very hard to diagnose (it mimics a bacterial ulcer initially) and it's extremely difficult to treat, so it does a lot of damage before it's stopped.

 

I'm guessing patient abuse is going to be a big part of it--lots of people swim or go in hot tubs with their contacts on and that's one of the big risk factors. I remind my folks about swimming in contacts that the contacts absorb whatever happens to be in that water, and if someone's swimming in a public pool, I can pretty much guarantee that most kids have not gotten out of the pool to pee. It's a rather gross thought, but true....

[Negative Sun]

Does it only affect the soft lenses? Or Gps? Or both?

 

I can't read that article since you need to join and I don't really want to just to read one article lol...

[Jae Onasi]

Looks like SCLs only and not RGPs, but most people use Boston solution for RGPs. I haven't heard of a case of acanthamoeba with RGP usage, but that may be because RGPs don't absorb the water and it's harder for the parasite to stick to an RGP than to an SCL. If there has been an RGP-related acanthamoeba, it'd be much more rare than SCLs. I don't think you'd have to discard RGPs since they don't absorb fluid, but I'd still discard the solution and case.

 

Could you click the FDA link in D3's post? If not, I'll copy/paste.

[Negative Sun]

lol *slaps forehead*

That'll teach me to browse instead of read...I can read that one ok.

Very interesting stuff, do opticians in the US offer free eye check for CL users as well? Cause we do but only for people who buy our lenses, which is a bit of a corporate strategy (although none of our optoms would ever send someone away with severe problems or anything)

[Commander Obi-Wan]

I use opti-free so I guess I don't have to worry about it.

 

Aye. I use opti-free too.

 

Thanks for the warning, nonetheless.

[Jae Onasi]

lol *slaps forehead*

That'll teach me to browse instead of read...I can read that one ok.

Very interesting stuff, do opticians in the US offer free eye check for CL users as well? Cause we do but only for people who buy our lenses, which is a bit of a corporate strategy (although none of our optoms would ever send someone away with severe problems or anything)

 

Depends on the eye doc, I think.

 

Most places I've worked at include follow ups to the initial CL fit at no-charge--it's worked into the cost of the CL exam. Red eye visits are separate charges, because they could involve a lot more care than just a simple follow-up check. It's not technically legal in the US for us to charge for a medical visit for one person and give it away free to another patient. We could get in huge trouble with, say, Medicare if we charged different fees for the same thing. Since red eyes use up a fair amount of chair time for doing extra tests and such, we charge accordingly.

[Negative Sun]

Fair enough I suppose, we tend to refer red eye cases to the eye clinic at the hospital...(Which is free under the NHS here in Scotland)

[Jamps]

I proudly possess four eyes.

 

I'll be sure to warn my friends though. Thanks.