Bausch & Lomb in Singapore
Posted: Tue 21 Feb 2006 1:00 pm
Just found this on the web. I'm sure that UK solutions are OK, but take care. And Louise... take your solutions with you!
SINGAPORE (MarketWatch) -- Singapore's health ministry said Tuesday that U.S. eyecare provider Bausch & Lomb Inc. (BOL) has voluntarily suspended sales of its ReNu contact lens solution in Singapore.
The ministry said the move is a precautionary measure after a spike in the number of cases of a rare eye infection.
The ministry said "investigations are still ongoing on the cause of the recent reported incidence of contact lens-related fungal corneal infections," which cause significant loss of vision among some patients. In serious cases, patients will have to undergo urgent corneal transplant.
Bausch & Lomb couldn't be reached for comment.
The ReNu solution sold here comes directly from Bausch & Lomb's plant in North Carolina, Singapore's Straits Times said. The newspaper also said that Bausch & Lomb's chief medical officer, Dr. Brian Levy, flew into Singapore Monday to help with investigations.
The ministry advised Singaporeans to stop using the contact lens solution for now.
According to Singapore authorities, 39 cases of fungal corneal infection have been detected over the past year among people with a history of contact lens use.
Out of the 39 cases, 34 involved the use of ReNu. Four people were unsure of the brand they used, while one other had used a different brand.
-Edited by Alastair Gale