US wearers advised to rub and rinse CLs

Contact lens wearers in the US have been advised to use a 'rub and rinse' method to clean their lenses, in the wake of last week's worldwide recall of Complete MoisturePlus. The multipurpose solution has been linked to an outbreak of Acanthamoeba keratitis in the US (June 1).

On May 30, the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) reiterated advice from the US Centers for Disease Control and Food and Drug Administration, that consumers should stop using the solution, discard it and replace their lenses and storage cases.

But the AAO also said that all CL wearers should consider performing a rub and rinse cleaning method, regardless of the type of solution used, to reduce the risk of eye infection. The American Optometric Association issued similar advice, saying that optometrists were recommending that patients rub their lenses at this time to enhance cleaning.