Complete MoisturePlus Contact Lens Solution - FindLaw

On May 26, 2007, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an alert to health care professionals and their patients who wear soft contact lenses advising them of a voluntary recall of Complete MoisturePlus Multi-Purpose Solution manufactured by Advanced Medical Optics (now Abbott Medical Optics) of Santa Ana, California. The recall was initiated because of reports of a rare, but serious, eye infection, Acanthamoeba keratitis, caused by a parasite. The link between the solution and this eye infection was identified during an investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Health Risks

Acanthamoeba keratitis may lead to vision loss, and may eventually require a corneal transplant for some patients. Primarily, the infection affects contact users who are generally healthy. According to the FDA, Acanthamoeba keratitis infections occur in approximately 2 out of every 1 million contact lens users in the United States each year. However, in a multi-state investigation to evaluate a recent increase in Acanthamoeba keratitis cases, the CDC determined that the risk of developing AK was at least 7 times greater for those consumers who used Complete MoisturePlus solution versus those who didn’t.

Advice for Consumers

The FDA is advising consumers who wear soft contact lenses to stop using Complete MoisturePlus solution, discard all partially used or unopened bottles, and replace their lenses and storage container. To report any infections from the use of Complete MoisturePlus, call MedWatch, the FDA's voluntary reporting program at 1-800-332-1088 or report online here. Consumers who still have some of the product may call Abbott Medical Optics at 1-888-899-9183 to determine how to return it to the company.

To help prevent eye infections, contact lens users should follow these tips:

• Remove your contact lenses before any activity that involves contact with water, such as bathing, showering, using a hot tub, or swimming. Bacteria in the water can get into your contact lenses and cause serious infections.
• Wash your hands with soap and water and then dry them before handling your contact lenses.
• Clean your contact lenses according to the manufacturer guidelines and instructions from your eye care professional.
• Use fresh cleaning or disinfecting solution after each time you use your contact lenses, as they need to be effectively cleaned and stored. Never reuse or top off the old cleaning or disinfecting solution.
• Never use saline solution or rewetting drops to clean and disinfect lenses when you take them out and store them. Neither solution is an effective or approved disinfectant.
• Schedule regular eye exams with your eye doctor to make sure your eyes are healthy and call your eye care professional immediately if you experience eye pain, redness, blurred vision, sensitivity to light, or feel like something is in your eye.
• Wear and replace contact lenses according to the schedule prescribed by your eye care professional and the manufacturer's guidelines. Don’t wear them overnight if they aren’t designed to be slept in.
• Store your contact lenses in a proper case designed for contact lens storage.
• Storage cases should be irrigated with sterile contact lens solution and left open to dry after each use. Never use tap water to clean your case.
• Replace your contact lens cases at least once every 3 months.