Most Contact Lens Wearers Don't Know About AMO's MoisturePlus Recall
Hey, contact lens wearers, according to a CDC survey, more than half of you have no clue that Advanced Medical Optics recalled their Complete MoisturePlus lens cleaner. The multipurpose solution fails to protect users from an amoeba that can cause acanthamoeba keratitis. Over 25% of users who contracted the infection required a corneal transplant, and if that doesn't scare you, consider this quote from the CDC:
"This is just as serious as the fusarium outbreak," said Lola Russell, a spokeswoman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, referring to an outbreak of fungal eye infections last year that was linked to Bausch & Lomb's ReNu with MoistureLoc lens cleaners.Anyone with the tainted solution should immediately throw it out, along with their contact lenses and their lens' storage case. If you have friends with contact lenses, do them a favor and mention the recall.
Eye Infections From Solution Continuing to Harm Users [NYT]
(AP Photo/Steven Senne)
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Comments:
@Dustbunny: I myself wear soft contacts (silicone hydrogel now, standard soft earlier) and the only two brands of solution I saw with any regularity were Alcon OptiFree No-Rub (and its successors) and B&L ReNu ...
I use Opti-Free, and have used it for 4 or 5 years now ...
I used to use this brand of solution. When I first heard about the recall, I followed the directions on AMO's website to request a box to send the tainted solution back. It's been nearly two months and I have yet to get the box they told me would take a couple of weeks to deliver.
I also sent in for my recall kit, and I just got it a week or so ago. It came via UPS and it was just a padded envelope with a USPS sticker. I'm not expect too much form these people as it took so long to get my kit, I'm lucky I'm not blind.
Yeah, it takes forever for the recall kit to come. I waited at least three times as long as they claimed it would take to receive it and I called the morning the recall information was released. Make sure you save the bottles or receipts if you want to get any money back. You can return up to 4 bottles and you can also be reimbursed for contact lenses if you had to throw a pair out due to the recall.
Also, for the record, the solution isn't tainted. The formula doesn't protect against the amoeba, but it the bottles don't contain anything harmful.
Does anyone know if this company makes generic-brand solutions? I always buy store-brand cleanser and I know when the whole Renu thing came out, my grocery store recalled their own brand as well.
I just went to my eye doctor and he didn't even know about the recall and he was the first one to push the stuff by giving me a bunch of it when I first got my contact lens.
ahhhhhhhh!!!! that picture is horrible.
I use to use AMO too for about 2 years. I have switched to Opti-Free and I love it. I took my AMO to the grocery store for a refund and had no problem getting my money back. I thought something was wrong with AMO when I would pour the little bit of solution in my eye case down the sink drain and the silver ring around the drain would always turn green. Then it would always have a thin film around the silver part too and it was from the AMO solution.
AMO will probably come out with a different formula but I will stick with Opti-Free.
pinkbunny slippers -- I 'have a friend' who used to work in the R&D of this company and they supply Costco with the formula for their "Kirkland Signature Multipurpose Solution". Uses the same antimicrobial entity in the same quantities but is without the extra 'comfort' entities. I wouldn't touch it with a 10-ft pole and don't know why it isn't recalled as well.
Is it bad that I've never even heard of that brand of solution?