Asian outbreak of keratitis investigated

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Bausch & Lomb is “collaborating closely” with authorities in Hong Kong and Singapore to determine the possible cause of fungal keratitis among contact lens wearers in the region, the company said in a press release.

A variety of lens care products from different manufacturers were used by the affected patients, “suggesting the root cause of these infections is not related to a specific product,” the company said in a release. B&L voluntarily suspended sales of ReNu contact lens solution after a majority of patients recalled using it. Health authorities have stated that there is no definitive link between any one particular product and the infection, and B&L attributes the patient identification of its product to the market penetration levels of ReNu, the company said.

“According to the Singapore health authorities, most of the contact lens-related fungal keratitis infections in that country involved patients with histories of poor contact lens care practices,” B&L said.

Many of the reported keratitis cases in Asia involved examples of poor patient compliance with lens care, include wearing expired lenses and re-using daily disposable contact lenses, B&L said. The company is implementing consumer education programs in an effort to raise public awareness of the importance of good hygiene and proper lens care practices in preventing infection, the release said.