UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Hi Peeps,
There is an article on Medscape this week stating that the Bausch & Lomb Renu contact lens solution has been found to be responsible for umpteen cases of fungal keratitis.

Anyone using the solution is advised NOT to use the "no-rinse" method, but instead to rub and rinse the lens.

I wonder if this is the same story that was around a few weeks ago about Australia...

would it be better to change my saline solution?

this is why it was withdrawn from the american market - apparently its only the ones which come from the american factory, most over here are from the italian one, but im still suspicious.

i will be going back to boston then.

I'd go and ask my optometrist to recommend a safe solution.

Andrew

I was with my optician (in Dublin) this morning.

He said he spoke to B&L and told them off for not issuing a letter to Optometrists about it. He was so cross that he had to read it in the papers.

They have 2 different solutions one is Re-Nu and the other is... arghh I have forgotten, Is it Advance or soemthing? Anyway he said B&L's other soln is fine.

BusyLizzy wrote:Hi Peeps,
There is an article on Medscape this week stating that the Bausch & Lomb Renu contact lens solution has been found to be responsible for umpteen cases of fungal keratitis.

Anyone using the solution is advised NOT to use the "no-rinse" method, but instead to rub and rinse the lens.

I've never liked the no-rinse solutions anyway, I found a residue on my lenses each morning, the type which comes off if you physically rub your lenses to clean them.

Here is a letter issued by B&L to US practitioners...



8.

9. Dear Eye Care Practitioner

10.

11. In response to our recent press releases and media coverage of the Fusarium investigation in the U.S., many of you have called with your support of Bausch & Lomb and our products and we thank you for that. You have also stated that while you appreciate our decision to stop shipping our ReNu with MoistureLoc product, this decision has also caused confusion among your patient base as to the safety of our product. To eliminate this confusion, we are requesting that you stop dispensing U.S. manufactured ReNu with MoistureLoc products until the investigation is completed.

12.

13. We will be announcing a program behind our ReNu MultiPlus product over the next few days. Additionally, we have included a copy of an open letter to contact lens wearers from our chairman Ron Zarrella that speaks to the recent issues surrounding the increased reports of Fusarium infections in the U.S. and the actions Bausch & Lomb is taking in light of this situation. As you will see in the letter, we have requested our retail partners to remove ReNu with MoistureLoc from their shelves until this investigation has been completed. This letter will appear in the USA Today Friday, April, 14, 2006 edition and various major newspapers over the weekend.

14.

15. Again we thank you for your support and pledge to work with you to ensure your patients have confidence in the products they use in the wear and care of their contact lenses.

16.

17. Sincerely,

18.

19. Robert J. Moore

20. General Manager - U.S. Vision Care

The open letter to patients can be seen at

http://www.lwwvisioncare.com/emails/bl/BLConsumerLetter.pdf