Bausch & Lomb asks retailers
to pull ReNu because of risk

The maker of a contact lens solution linked to a potentially blinding eye infection on Thursday warned consumers not to use the product and asked retailers to pull it from their shelves.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday that public health officials in 17 states were investigating 109 cases of Fusarium keratitis, a rare fungal infection that damages the cornea.

Eight patients had to undergo corneal transplants.

After that announcement, Bausch & Lomb asked U.S. retailers to remove ReNu® with MoistureLoc® from their shelves temporarily, and recommended that consumers switch to another lens care solution for the time being, until the investigation of reports of fungal keratitis infections among contact lens wearers in the United States is concluded.  The company initiated the voluntary market withdrawal in order to eliminate any confusion among contact lens wearers about what to do while the investigation is ongoing.  Today's action does not apply to other Bausch & Lomb products or to ReNu with MoistureLoc manufactured at factories outside the United States.

The company is placing ads in USA Today and regional newspapers on April 14 and 16 featuring an open letter to consumers from Bausch & Lomb Chairman and CEO Ron Zarrella explaining the situation and providing guidance on alternatives.

"For more than 150 years, Bausch & Lomb's mission has been to enhance your vision," says Zarrella in his letter.  "We find ourselves in a position where the safety of one of our products, ReNu with MoistureLoc manufactured at our United States plant, is in question.  We've done a series of exhaustive tests on the product, and a thorough inspection of the plant, and nothing has yet been found to show that ReNu with MoistureLoc contributed to these infections in any way.  However, in the cases of infections reviewed to date, the majority of patients reported using ReNu with MoistureLoc manufactured at our U.S. factory."

Bausch & Lomb continues to collaborate with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease control and Prevention, major eye centers and health authorities in a comprehensive investigation to identify the cause of the reported infections.

Of the 30 cases that had been investigated by Monday, 28 patients wore soft contact lenses and two reported no contact lens use, the FDA said.

Twenty-six of the 28 soft contact lens users who could recall which solution they used the month before the infection identified a Bausch & Lomb ReNu brand contact lens solution or a generic brand made by the company, the FDA said.

In five cases, patients said they had used other solutions in addition to the ReNu brand, and nine patients said they wore their contacts while sleeping, a risk factor for microbial keratitis.

"Bausch & Lomb's first priority is the health and safety of consumers," said Zarrella in his letter.  "If there is a problem with our product, we'll find it and we'll fix it.  If there's not, when we come back you'll be able to know with absolute certainty that we've taken every possible step to ensure your safety."

Last year, clusters of Fusarium keratitis were reported by contact-lens users in Asia, and in February Bausch & Lomb voluntarily suspended sales of ReNu solutions in Hong Kong and Singapore after reports of infections among users there. The product sold there was made at the South Carolina plant.

The fungus commonly lives on plants and is usually found in warm climates.

Bell Law Firm is presently taking ReNu® with MoistureLoc® cases, and we will work hard to obtain compensation for your side effects and suffering. Please contact us and a representative from Bell Law Firm will be in contact with you as soon as possible.