Contact Lens Solution May Cause Serious Eye Infection, FDA Warns

By Richard Seward

Published on May 29, 2007

Complete MoisturePlus Multi-Purpose Solution is manufactured by Advanced Medical Optics of Santa Ana, California. The company announced a voluntary recall of its product after reports linked the solution to a risk of a serious eye infection known as Acanthamoeba keratitis. The infection, caused by a parasite, can lead to vision loss and may require corneal transplant surgery.

The FDA recommends that patients consult their physicians about selecting an appropriate alternative cleaning and disinfecting solution for their contact lenses. In addition, patients experiencing symptoms of an eye infection, such as eye pain, blurred vision, excessive tearing, eye redness, light sensitivity, or the feeling of something in the eye, should seek immediate medical treatment.

The FDA warning also recommends that consumers discontinue use of the solution, discard any partially used or unopened bottles, and replace their lenses and storage containers.

On average, Acanthamoeba keratitis infects only about two out of every one million contact lens wearers each year in the United States. However, a recent increase in reported cases prompted an investigation which revealed that consumers using the Complete MoisturePlus product are seven times more likely to be infected. The results of the investigation led Advanced Medical Optics to recall the solution.

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