News

Contact lens wearers in Singapore have been advised not to use Bausch & Lomb’s ReNu after the multipurpose solution was potentially linked to several cases of fungal corneal infection.

The state’s Ministry of Health alerted the public on Friday (February 17) that 18 of 22 patients presenting with Fusarium fungal corneal infections had used a ReNu product.

As of yesterday, 39 cases had been reported, with 34 patients saying they had used the B&L product.

Three patients have undergone urgent corneal transplantation.

As a precautionary measure, B&L has voluntarily suspended sales of the product and a spokeswoman for the company said sales of the product in other countries were not affected.

She said, in a statement from B&L headquarters in Rochester, New York, that B&L was ‘confident that a thorough and scientific investigation will clear our product of any involvement'.

The statement added that there was 'absolutely no scientific evidence that ReNu brand solution in any way caused or is related to the outbreak'. It added that ReNu was the market-leading contact lens solution in Singapore.

B&L chief medical officer Dr Brian Levy arrived in Singapore on Monday to assist in the investigations.

The company said preliminary tests on samples in the US factory that supplies Singapore were found to be safe, but added that it could take three weeks to complete testing.

The Ministry of Health and Singapore’s Contact Lens Practitioners’ Board have alerted opticians and medical practitioners to be on the look out for suspected fungal infections of the cornea.

The majority of the 39 cases (92 per cent) started developing an infection in the second half of last year onwards. Of 18 patients seen at the Singapore National Eye Centre, 13 had used ‘expired lenses’ while 11 had worn their contact lenses while taking naps. All had used disposable lenses – dailies and monthlies – from a variety of manufacturers.

Visit the Singaporean Ministry of Health’s web site.

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