OK, I'm convinced.
Posted on 05/25/2007 8:17:12 PM PDT by Dysart
ATLANTA - Government officials are warning people to throw away a contact lens solution after an investigation linked it to a rare eye infection.
The warning concerns AMO Complete Moisture Plus Multi-Purpose Solution, used for cleaning and storing soft contact lenses, said a spokeswoman for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The solution seems to be a factor cases of Acanthamoeba keratitis, a painful eye infection that can lead to permanent vision loss or blindness.
The CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are investigating 138 confirmed cases.
The solution is made by Advanced Medical Optics Inc., a publicly traded company based in Santa Ana, Calif. A message left with a company spokesman was not immediately returned.
CDC officials said people should discard the solution, throw out their current contact lenses and toss the lens storage case. All of them may harbor the infecting amoeba, said Michael Beach, team leader in the CDC's division of parasitic diseases.
An estimated 85 percent of U.S. cases of Acanthamoeba keratitis occur in contact lens users, but it's extremely unusual _ the estimated prevalence is one to two cases per 1 million contact lens wearers. Contact lens wearers who practice proper lens care and people who don't wear contact lenses can still develop the infection.
It's hard to diagnose and treat _ and some of the drugs used to fight the infection are available only overseas or from compounding pharmacies.
The government's investigation began in 2004, when a University of Illinois-Chicago ophthalmologist _ Dr. Elmer Tu _ noticed more than a dozen cases of the infection. Normally, he might see only one or two in a year, Tu said.
UIC doctors saw 35 patients with the condition from May 2003 through September 2006. About 55 percent used the Advanced Medical Optics product exclusively, Tu said.
UIC investigators think the infection is not originating in the manufacturing process, but that the cleaning solution is not protecting people from the infection, which they get in their eyes through showering or swimming, Tu said.
The amoeba that causes the infection is naturally present in soil and water. Wearing contact lenses while swimming or in the hot tub appears to increase the risk of infection.
The cases were reported to the Illinois state health department, which notified the CDC. A CDC investigation in about 35 states led to Friday's announcement.
The solution is not marketed to protect against the amoeba. But "it's supposed to be free of any type of microorganisms. It's not supposed to result in anyone getting an infection," said Julie Zawisza, an FDA spokeswoman.
The FDA will take information from the CDC investigation and try to discern what about the solution _ or how people were using it _ could be responsible for the infection cases, she added.
Health officials have interviewed 46 of the patients so far. Of those 36 wear soft contact lenses, and 21 use the Advanced Medical Optics solution, Beach said. It was a strong enough association to cause health officials to issue Friday's warning, Beach said.
Dozens of cases of this rare condition can be significant, eye experts said.
"It's a large number if it's happening to you. It's a large number if there is a little pocket of it. It's not a large number if you consider there are 35 million contact lens wearers in the United States," said Dr. William Ehlers, a University of Connecticut Health Center ophthalmologist.
The investigation is the second into eye infections associated with contact lens solution undertaken by the CDC and FDA in the past year. In 2006, a Bausch & Lomb multipurpose contact lens solution was linked to a fungal eye infection called Fusarium.
This week, Advanced Medical Optics disclosed it was considering making a bid to buy Bausch & Lomb, its eye-care products rival.
Associated Press writer Andrew Bridges contributed to this report from Washington.
On the Net:
CDC information on Acanthamoeba:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/acanthamoeba/index.htm
A service of the Associated Press(AP)
Last time I used Visine, it burned my eyes.
That was about 15 years ago.
These companies complain about the unreasonable jury awards. But that doesn't stop them from handing the John Edwardses of the world all the ammunition they need.
So we need to know the origin of the bad batch...wanna guess? My money is on it was not Spain
Well, I’m surprised. Not about where it was made. China was my first, second and third guesses. I’m just surprised that I found out. I’m still betting I won’t read that in any major publications.
It's a multiple mnemonic... AMO permutes to Mao.
OK, I'm convinced.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Santa Ana, CA -- November 21, 2006 -- Advanced Medical Optics, Inc., a global ophthalmic surgical and eye care products company, today announced a nationwide, voluntary recall of certain lots of its 12-ounce COMPLETE® MoisturePLUS(TM) multipurpose contact lens care solution and Active Packs. Three lots sold in Japan were found to have bacterial contamination, which compromised sterility. Because of this production-line issue at its manufacturing plant in China, AMO is recalling 18 lots distributed in the U.S. that were manufactured on the same production lines during the same production period. Non-sterility of a contact lens solution may have serious health consequences, including eye infection and microbial keratitis. AMO has not received any reports of adverse health events associated with the recalled product lots in the U.S.
How could we have guessed ???
I suppose they are feeling some heat. They will have to do more than that if they wish to sell me any of their cheap poison products.
You and me both Buddy! I also have an infection in one eye that I was hoping was a stye. The sores are on the inside of my lower lid. I don't need this crap!
Actually the guy has been in jail for several years.. This was an old bribery case where he took millions .
I doubt if this is not about bribery only dead dogs and sick people the current guy will have a problem
Yes, I agree with you. Luckily, you’ve pointed out Made in Spain as I wasn’t sure why my lot began with AB instead of ZB which is a good thing! So my bottle is made in Spain too but I am going to switch to a different brand. If only they offered Lasik on insurance. I hope my eyes are find though and will check with an eye doctor tomo. Hope you and everybody else is too.
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