Smeffland

Posted By on May 27, 2010

Following eye infection outbreaks in 2006 and 2007, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) panel advisory called for new infection warnings on multipurpose contact lens solutions and stricter testing for product approval. The outbreaks, which were caused by the infection Fusarium keratititis and the waterborne parasite Acanthamoeba, led to product recalls and panic in patients.

FDA plans to implement stricter requirements for companies to ensure the efficacy and safety of contact lens solutions, after a disinfecting solution was found ineffective in killing Acanthamoeba. FDA also advises contact lens wearers not to reuse the solutions as doing so may cause eye infection. “It needs to be a strong warning,” said Dr. Neil M. Bressler, chairman of the FDA advisory panel and ophthalmology professor at the Wilmer Eye Institute in Baltimore.

Though there has been apparent laxity among manufacturers, FDA pointed out that consumers are partly to blame. Studies showed that 90 percent of wearers fail to comply with simple instructions such as hand washing before touching the lenses. “We see that even though procedures are simple and minimal, noncompliance can still be quite high said Berni Lepri, an FDA safety official.

Proper hygiene and appropriate maintenance of the contacts are considered as possible infection prevention measures. For one, FDA sees that rubbing and rinsing the contacts before using them and not engaging in water activities while wearing contact lenses can prevent serious eye infections.

Categories: eye, general, health, medicine
Tags: