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Fusarium Fungus

Fusarium fungus is regularly found in plant material and soil in tropical and subtropical areas. Without eye drop treatment, which can last two to three months, the infection can scar the cornea causing blindness. Symptoms may include blurry vision, pain or redness, increased sensitivity to light and excessive discharge from the eye.

Bausch & Lomb voluntarily suspended shipment of a contact lens solution after federal health officials linked it on April 10, 2006 to a fungal eye infection that can cause temporary blindness. Federal and state health officials have interviewed 30 of those patients. Of the 28 who wore soft contact lens, 26 reported using Bausch & Lomb's ReNu brand contact lens solution.  The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is watching the situation and said it has received reports of about 50 possible cases in 12 states this year so far.

The 109 U.S. cases the CDC is investigating involve infections from June 2005 to March and are from California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Vermont.

Singapore health officials noticed a spike in January and discovered 39 cases involving contact lens users from 2005 to February of this year. Cases have also been reported in Malaysia and Hong Kong.

To complicate matters further, the fungus is tricky to detect because diagnosis requires a lab culture not all doctors are prepared to take or read. And the fungus can be so slow-growing that it takes weeks for the culture to come back. The medicine used to treat fungal infections is not widely stocked by pharmacies and often must be ordered.

If you or a loved one wears contact lenses and you developed Fusarium fungus or any other injury as a result of Bausch & Lomb Renu MoistureLoc saline solution, contact Parker & Waichman, LLP for a free case evaluation. Call 1-800-LAW-INFO (1-800-529-4636) or fill out the short form at the right.