US warns contact lens users
In the US eye doctors have expressed alarm at a new warning that a rare but serious fungal infection may be linked to a popular contact lens solution.
Tens of millions of Americans may be at risk for the infection, which, in worst cases, can cause blindness, U.S. health officials said in the warning.
“This is troubling because there are about 35 million contact-lens wearers in the USA and, of those, roughly 25 million or 26 million are soft lens wearers,” said Dr. Robert Cykiert, clinical associate professor of ophthalmology at New York University School of Medicine. “Basically, everybody who wears soft lenses is at risk for this type of infection.”
A large proportion of these people may use Bausch & Lomb’s ReNu with MoistureLoc. Twenty-six of 30 patients who suffered infections used this product or a generic brand manufactured by the same company.
“That product is probably the market leader in contact lens solutions, so you’re talking about millions of people who are using Bausch & Lomb solutions,” Cykiert said.
Bausch & Lomb has suspended shipments of the multipurpose product, although it is still on store shelves.
At the same time, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an alert to health-care professionals and patients who wear soft contact lenses of the risk.
A fungus called Fusarium has been identified as the cause of the reported infections. A total 109 cases of suspected Fusarium keratitis under investigation by the CDC and health authorities in 17 states. The risk of contracting contact lens-related infection from the fungus, which is commonly found in soil, tap water and many plants, is estimated to be four to 21 per 100,000 patients.
The current cluster of cases represents a “staggering increase in the number of cases” typically seen in the United States, Cykiert said. “This is an extremely serious infection of the cornea. If you get it, this takes weeks or months to treat, some need to be hospitalized for weeks, and very often wind up needing corneal transplants. So this is a very major issue.”
Eight U.S. patients have already required corneal transplants, The New York Times reported.
Technorati Tags: US contact lens, contact lens solution
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US warns contact lens users
In the US eye doctors have expressed alarm at a new warning that a rare but serious fungal infection may be linked to a popular contact lens solution.
Tens of millions of Americans may be at risk for the infection, which, in worst cases, can cause blindness, U.S. health officials said in the warning.
“This is troubling because there are about 35 million contact-lens wearers in the USA and, of those, roughly 25 million or 26 million are soft lens wearers,” said Dr. Robert Cykiert, clinical associate professor of ophthalmology at New York University School of Medicine. “Basically, everybody who wears soft lenses is at risk for this type of infection.”
A large proportion of these people may use Bausch & Lomb’s ReNu with MoistureLoc. Twenty-six of 30 patients who suffered infections used this product or a generic brand manufactured by the same company.
“That product is probably the market leader in contact lens solutions, so you’re talking about millions of people who are using Bausch & Lomb solutions,” Cykiert said.
Bausch & Lomb has suspended shipments of the multipurpose product, although it is still on store shelves.
At the same time, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an alert to health-care professionals and patients who wear soft contact lenses of the risk.
A fungus called Fusarium has been identified as the cause of the reported infections. A total 109 cases of suspected Fusarium keratitis under investigation by the CDC and health authorities in 17 states. The risk of contracting contact lens-related infection from the fungus, which is commonly found in soil, tap water and many plants, is estimated to be four to 21 per 100,000 patients.
The current cluster of cases represents a “staggering increase in the number of cases” typically seen in the United States, Cykiert said. “This is an extremely serious infection of the cornea. If you get it, this takes weeks or months to treat, some need to be hospitalized for weeks, and very often wind up needing corneal transplants. So this is a very major issue.”
Eight U.S. patients have already required corneal transplants, The New York Times reported.
Technorati Tags: US contact lens, contact lens solution
Related posts...
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