In response to information received from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding eye infections from Acanthamoeba, a naturally occurring water-borne organism which can contribute to serious corneal infections, Advanced Medical Optics is immediately and voluntarily recalling its Complete? MoisturePlusTM contact lens solutions.
CDC data was made available to AMO showing that it had completed interviews with 46 patients who had developed Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) since January 2005.
A total of 39 of these patients were soft contact lens wearers, 21 of whom reported using Complete? MoisturePlusTM products. The CDC estimates a risk of at least seven times greater for those who used Complete? MoisturePLUSTM solution versus those who did not.
While AMO continues to work with the CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to further assess the data, it is acting with an abundance of caution to voluntarily recall Complete? MoisturePlusTM from the market. There is no evidence to suggest that today?s voluntary recall is related to a product contamination issue and this does not impact any of AMO?s other contact lens care products, including our family of hydrogen peroxide disinfecting solutions. As patient safety is paramount to AMO, the company is taking decisive action to stop shipments, recall product from the marketplace, and encourage consumers to discontinue the use of AMO Complete? MoisturePlusTM until further information is available. Given the potential seriousness of the reported Acanthamoeba infections, AMO is working in close partnership with the CDC, the FDA and others to make sure consumers are aware of the need for proper contact lens disinfection and proper lens handling.
Acanthamoeba is a microorganism commonly found in water, soil, sewage systems, cooling towers, and heating/ventilation/air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is a rare, but serious, infection of the cornea. AK is usually found among individuals who improperly store/handle/disinfect their lenses (e.g., use tap water or homemade solutions for cleaning), swim/use hot tubs/shower while wearing lenses, come in contact with contaminated water, have minor damage to their corneas, or have previous corneal trauma. The incidence of AK in the United States has been estimated by CDC at approximately one to two cases per million contact lens users.
Contact lens wearers should consult with their eye doctor if they have any of the following symptoms: eye pain, eye redness, blurred vision, sensitivity to light, sensation of something in the eye, and excessive tearing. The symptoms, which can last several weeks to months, are not the same for everybody. Early in the infection, the symptoms of AK can be very similar to the symptoms of other more common eye infections but AK may eventually cause severe pain and possible vision loss with some patients requiring a corneal transplant if untreated.
Consumers who believe they are in possession of the recalled product should discontinue use immediately and call 1-888-899-9183. The company is currently contacting retailers, customers and distributors regarding return and replacement instructions. Reply cards and mailing slips are being provided for return of product. Retailers may also call 1-888-899-9183 for more information.
Please report any adverse reactions experienced with the use of this product and/or quality problems to AMO by calling 1-calling 1-800-347-5005 and to the FDA?s MedWatch Program by phone at 1-800-FDA- 1088, by fax at 1-800-FDA-0178, by mail at MedWatch, HF-2, FDA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852-9787.