Contact Solution Recall Blog

California law firm has now filed a lawsuit against Advanced Medical Optics, Inc. (AMO) on behalf of three women who suffered eye damage and vision loss as a result of contracting Acanthamoeba keratitis after using AMO’s contact lens solution Complete MoisturePlus.

One of the women’s diagnoses was in January 2007. The timing of the woman’s diagnosis is significant because AMO is alleged to have been aware of a possible link between its product and Acanthamoeba keratitis since 2004, but did not make a full recall of Complete MoisturePlus until May 2007.

The timeline of events were as follows. In May 2006, the Illinois Dept. of Public Health notified the CDC of a possible increase in Acanthamoeba keratitis at an ophthamology center in the state during the preceding three years.

On Nov. 21, 2006 AMO announced it was recalling “certain lots” of Complete MoisturePlus after three lots sold in Japan were found to have bacterial contamination. At the same time, AMO also recalled 18 lots that had been distributed in the U.S. The company cited production line issues at its manufacturing plant in China as the reason for the problem.

May 26, 2007, CDC report confirmed that there was in fact an increase in cases of Acanthamoeba keratitis, and the increase had begun in 2004. It was also determined that the increase in infections occurred in soft contact lens wearers who used AMO’s Complete MoisturePlus multipurpose cleaning solution. More than 135 people had developed a serious eye infection after using the solution.

In May 25, 2007, AMO recalled their product. When the company made a full recall of Complete MoisturePlus on May 25, 2007, it said in its letter to consumers that there was no evidence that the voluntary recall was related to product contamination and that the date of the letter was the same day the CDC made data available to AMO showing the results of their investigation. As a result, AMO said, it was voluntarily recalling its product as a means of cooperating with the FDA.

The AMO letter correctly advises that the Acanthamoeba organism is common in the environment, but seems to suggest that Acanthamoeba keratitis eye infections are the result of something done by the lens wearer rather than due to use of their product.

To learn more, call the Contact Solution Recall Lawyers at Williams Kherkher at 1.800.220.9341.