FDA says STOP use of MoistureLoc Contact Lens Solution

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that consumers should immediately stop using and discard ReNu with MoistureLoc contact lens solution, as more cases of fungal infections have been reported among people using the product.

"Discard all remaining MoistureLoc solution, including partially used or opened bottles. Consult your doctor about choosing an appropriate alternative cleaning/disinfecting product," the FDA warns in a new public health notification.

So far, federal health authorities are investigating 109 cases in the United States of people who have been diagnosed with a rare form of corneal fungus infection known as Fusarium keratitis. Of the 30 cases the FDA has fully investigated, most of those infected with the virus had been using MoistureLoc.

I've seen more and more about this lately. Funny enough, at my local CVS, ReNu has still been on the shelves even after it was said to be taken off nation-wide. Though I am no big expert on anything having to do with the eyes, my uncle is an optometrist, and was among one of the first to call and tell us about this news story. Some particular parts that I found interesting were that:

Fungal eye infections are rare and occur more frequently in the southern United States.

and

To reduce the chance of any eye infection, contact lens wearers are advised to use the rub-and-rinse method of cleaning contacts, which requires soaking lenses in solution and rubbing them for a few seconds before storing them.

I've never even heard of this "rub-and-rinse" method. I tend to keep my contacts in 3 nights in a row, which is also one of the things that the FDA has specifically warned against. The only thing that I seem to do right is not re-use solution.

Just though I'd ask you guys your opinions on this fungal infection of the eyes; because as I said earlier, I'm starting to hear more and more about it.

They believe that the problem doesn't directly lie within the ReNu, because the fungi have never been located in bottles of ReNu. They instead believe that the fungal infection grows inside contact lens cases when the solution is reused multiple times. I'm sure we will see a lot more research and information released about this in the near future. Luckily, at least for now, 109 cases is very minimal.

Way to give a product a bad name.
I would agree that the infection can only be directly linked to people who are too lazy to clean and store their lenses properly, ie: those who re-use the same solution even once. This is a huge no-no, always discard the solution used and give them a good rinse and rub in a stream from the bottle being sure no contact is made between the two and then fill case with new solution for storage.

Simple enough and I have not had an eye infection that wasn't conjuctivitis ever in my life as a lens wearer and even then only twice.

I heard about this a couple weeks ago, I was using Renu Moisture Lock......I liked it, and though it worked great, since I had it my eyes hadn't dried out once (I'm talking about the middle of the day...not after ya wake up).

I worst I've had is pink eye...but that was over a years ago...I simply tossed the contacts, and switched to glasses for a couple weeks. I love contacts far more then glasses...I was born with peripheral vision, and I’m gonna use it!

Anyway...I stopped using Renu, and switched to Opti-free Replenish. It also does a good job, but it takes a minute longer to get them in and be comfortable, but once there in, there good for the day.

I dont rub my contacts...I haven’t done that ever since they switched to using one bottle (they used to have 2 bottles, one which you put a couple drop on the lense in your palm, and rob it in for like 30 seconds, then rinse it with the other stuff, then put it in the container), its much easier now...so no complaints here.

I have 1 month disposables, but I make them last like 2 or so months before I toss em'. But I do take them out every night. I know a lot of people who dont...and I'm talking all the time. Even my own sister, she wears hers for literally months at a time, and then she takes them out, throws then away, and put in the new owns which will stay in another few months.....If she develops eye problems down the road...I wont wonder how it happened.

I work in a dusty environment, so for me, its important to take them out everyday. I never re-use the solution. As for cleaning them...I figure the pressure from the solution stream that shoots out of the bottle kind of pressure washes them....so I call it good.

I noticed I was using Renu and can still buy it at the local store but they don't seem to be restocking it. However it wasn't the version that says moisture lock. I recently bought a bottle of Opti-Free Express since I read my optometrist actually uses that brand and not Renu. I felt slightly anxious when I read one person who got the infection was a clean freak when it came to routinely cleaning the contacts. However it sounds like the problem is with the moisture lock version and in warmer climates. As cool as my solution often is (in the 50's or 60's), my climate (inside the house) doesn't seem to be very good for any tropical fungus. I change the solution every day as well.

My dad and cousins used ReNu, I never actually did. I hope wearing contacts for 3-days isn't going to cause me to develop eye problems down the road. I do at least make sure to take them out every 2-3 days though, because sometimes they can become uncomfortable; not so much because I am worrying about the eye problems constantly though.