Contact lens solution recalled

Advanced Medical Optics Inc. is recalling its Complete MoisturePlus contact lens solutions and is calling on consumers to stop using them after data showed a higher risk of eye infections.

The announcement late Friday followed AMO’s recall of the same product last year because of bacterial contamination, and a recall by rival Bausch & Lomb Inc. after its contact lens solution was linked to infections.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention interviewed 46 patients with Acanthamoeba keratitis, a rare but serious cornea infection, and found that of the 39 who wore soft contact lenses, 21 used Complete MoisturePlus.

The CDC estimated that risk of infection was at least seven times greater among users of the Complete MoisturePlus solution compared with those who were not, the company said.

“As patient safety is paramount to AMO, the company is taking decisive action to stop shipments, recall product from the marketplace and encourage consumers to discontinue the use of AMO Complete MoisturePlus until further information is available,” the Santa Ana-based company said.

AMO said there was no evidence to suggest that the recall was related to a product contamination issue.

The company did not give an outlook for the financial repercussions of recalling the product, one of its top-selling items.

Last November, it recalled almost 3 million units of the Complete MoisturePlus solution because of sterility problems and lowered its earnings forecast.