OK... Guess now I must switch. Especially after daddy dearest also especially reminded me to do so. *sulk*

Forgot my diary yesterday and happily made plans for after work today. Happily forgetting I have a meeting with the Advisory this evening. *sigh*

Stop using ReNu contact lens solution: MOH
Cheow Xin Yi xinyic@newstoday.com.sg

THE Health Ministry (MOH) has advised contact lens users to stop using the Bausch & Lomb's ReNu multi-purpose contact lens solution for the time being, following a spike of fungal eye infections, even as the company launched into full damage control mode yesterday.

The warning came amid investigations into the causes behind the infections — which affected 22 contact lens users here, said the MOH yesterday. So far, findings indicate the links with ReNu, but the actual cause has not been established yet.

Meanwhile, Dr Brian Levy, chief medical officer of Bausch & Lomb, who flew in from the United States to handle the crisis, said ReNu was subjected to stringent checks in the US.

Describing the spike in fungal cases here as an "unusual medical event", he said such cases have not been noticed anywhere else in the region and the US.

"There's a lot of information that surrounds this event ... and what we are here to do is to find out as much information as possible to find the potential causes of this problem," he said.

He added that based on past studies, such infections happened in Asia because of its tropical climate, but not with such high incidence.

Bausch & Lomb had suspended the sale of ReNu products since last Friday to facilitate investigations. It estimates that there are about 120,000 to 150,000 ReNu users here.

Last Friday, 22 cases of fungal eye infections were reported, out of which three required urgent cornea transplant. Of these, 21 cases are users of the popular ReNu solution.

Yesterday, MOH said it had found that a significant number of the patients had a history of poor contact lens practice. Thirteen users had used expired lenses while 11 wore their lenses while taking naps.

While not willing to speculate on the causes of the spikes, Dr Levy assured a public forum — attended by about 60 people — that the testing of the voluntarily suspended batch is ongoing in the US, and to date, nothing extraordinary has been found.

While one participant commended Bausch & Lomb for being upfront with the investigations, there were however, some dissatisfaction among those who have contacted the infection after using the solution.

"I have spent over $2,500 over the last 14 days because of the infection and I hope someone can help me on the steps to seek redress," said an indignant Madam Leong Siew Yin, a ReNu contact lens solution user.

The financial planner was treated at Mount Alvernia, but she is not part of the 22 cases announced by the MOH.

When asked about compensation, a Bausch & Lomb's spokesperson said it was "premature" to comment on this issue.

Meanwhile, opticians have advised customers to switch to other brands of contact solutions until investigations are over.