Keratitis Outbreak Tied to Contact Lens Solution
Consumers are being advised to discontinue using Complete MoisturePlus contact lens solution, manufactured by Advanced Medical Optics (AMO), after the product was linked to an outbreak of Acanthamoeba keratitis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

AMO has announced a voluntary recall of the product. The CDC is also recommending that people discard their current pair of contact lenses and the contact lens case. Acanthamoeba keratitis is very rare -- about one to two cases per 1 million contact lens wearers -- but if not treated properly, it can lead to vision loss or blindness.

The CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are investigating 138 confirmed cases with onset of symptoms on or after Jan. 1, 2005. Findings so far indicate that the risk of developing Acanthamoeba keratitis was at least seven times greater for those consumers who used Complete MoisturePlus solution versus those who did not.

People should be advised to see an ophthalmologist if they have any of the following symptoms:
• Eye pain
• Eye redness
• Blurred vision
• Sensitivity to light
• Sensation of something in the eye
• Excessive tearing

The symptoms are not the same for everyone, and they can last weeks or months.
Refer your patients to the new EyeCare America Web site for more information on Acanthamoeba keratitis, including tips for avoiding infection and recommendations for contact lens care.
Clinical Resources
• Revised contact lens care guidelines: advance release
• Bacterial Keratitis PPP
• "How to diagnose and treat Acanthamoeba keratitis," EyeNet Magazine
• Refractive Errors PPP: full guidelines for contact lens hygiene and care (PDF)

Reporting Cases
The FDA and CDC want to gather information related to Acanthamoeba keratitis in contact lens users. Report adverse events related to these products to MedWatch, the FDA's voluntary reporting program: www.fda.gov/medwatch/report.htm; phone: 800.332.1088; fax: 800.332.0178; mail: MedWatch, Food and Drug Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD, 20852-9787.

Background of the Investigation
On Jan. 19, 2007, the CDC decided to formally contact a sample of major ophthalmology centers, requesting numbers of cases from 1999 to 2006, and their method of diagnosis. Results received by early March 2007 indicate the number of culture-confirmed Acanthamoeba keratitis cases has increased, beginning in 2004.

On March 7, 2007, an investigation was initiated in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Washington. Additional states have since become involved in the investigation: Kentucky, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Virginia and West Virginia.
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