Bausch & Lomb issues recall of ReNu with MoistureLoc

On May 15, 2006, Bausch & Lomb issued a worldwide recall for its ReNu with MoistureLoc contact lens solution. First sold in September 2004, ReNu had been one of Bausch & Lomb’s biggest moneymakers on the market. However, health officials in Asia began to notice a high incidence among ReNu with MoistureLoc users of the potentially blinding eye infection Fusarium keratitis in Fall 2005. When doctors in the U.S. began to notice a similar trend among their patients, Bausch & Lomb issued a ReNu recall in May 2006. Tracking the cause of Fusarium keratitis Fusarium keratitis, or fungal keratitis, is an eye infection caused by the presence of the Fusarium fungus in the cornea. Symptoms of Fusarium keratitis include red, inflamed eyes, blurred vision, sensitivity to light, severe eye pain and a yellow discharge. If left untreated, Fusarium keratitis can lead to permanent scarring of the cornea and, in the most extreme cases, partial or total blindness. Many experts have been critical of the delay in Bausch & Lomb’s reaction to news of infections linked to ReNu with MoistureLoc. Although Bausch & Lomb was notified of Fusarium infections among ReNu users in November 2005, the company did not issue a ReNu recall until May 2006. Many U.S. customers may have been infected unnecessarily because of this delay of the ReNu recall. First ReNu plaintiffs file suit The first ReNu lawsuit was filed in April 2006. Because of the thousands of potential patients whose eyes may have been damaged by ReNu, experts estimate that damages from ReNu lawsuits may exceed $1 billion. Patients whose eyes have been damaged may wish to seek help from a ReNu lawyer. Additional information on ReNu with MoistureLoc.