Infections Continue from Contact Lens Solutions

August 2007

A special alert – the Complete MoisturePLUS contact lens solution continues to pose a risk of infection despite a major recall. Many people are still unaware of the serious infections that can be caused by MoisturePLUS. To date, more than a fourth of all infected users have had to have corneal transplants.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration have put pressure on the manufacturer, Advanced Medical, to step up their efforts to educate both healthcare professionals and the public about the dangers of using Complete MoisturePLUS.

The recall of over 57 million units of MoisturePLUS began on May 26, 2007. The product was pulled because it was linked to an abnormally high rate of infection from the acanthamoeba microbe, which could lead to the severe condition known as Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK). AK symptoms include discharge, pain, and vision loss. Serious cases of AK may require corneal transplants or cause suffers to go blind.