Contacts Lens Wearers: Don't Use Bausch & Lomb ReNu with MoistureLoc! - YorkieTalk.com Forums

fasteddie · 04-14-2006, 10:56 AM

That particular ReNu with MoistureLoc has been recalled (apparently other ReNu products are okay). So please stop using it if you have it still!
---
April 14 (Bloomberg) -- Bausch & Lomb Inc. ran ads today urging that consumers use other contact lens cleaners made by the company, such as ReNu MultiPlus, rather than one withdrawn after being linked to an infection that can cause blindness.

The company late yesterday said it was withdrawing ReNu with MoistureLoc in the U.S. and offering refunds to consumers. A full-page color advertisement in the USA Today newspaper also said the product had not been proven as a cause of the infection, only that there was a ``disproportionate association'' between it and ``a small number of events.''

``I am sorry for any inconvenience or anxiety this situation has caused,'' Chief Executive Officer Ron Zarrella wrote in a section of the ad designed to look like a letter.

The ad campaign, set to run in 11 U.S. markets, may blunt criticism from marketing specialists and a medical ethicist who said this week the 153-year-old optical products maker wasn't doing enough to inform the nation's 30 million wearers of contact lenses. Bausch & Lomb stopped shipping the cleaner April 10 when U.S. health officials said it was probing 109 reports of a rare fungal eye infection linked to the product's use.

Yesterday, the Rochester, New York-based company asked that drugstores and supermarkets remove the solution from shelves, an action many, including Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Walgreen Co., Albertson's Inc. and CVS Corp., had already taken.

In a section of the ad that lists six questions and answers, Bausch & Lomb urged that consumers who use the withdrawn product switch to the company's ReNu MultiPlus, ReNu Multi-Purpose cleaners or ``another respected brand.''

Impact Unclear

It's ``a little bit to early to tell'' what the financial impact of the withdrawal will be, said company spokeswoman Meg Graham in a telephone interview today. ``It depends on how long this lasts.'' The company will meet today to ``flesh out'' a communications strategy beyond the current campaign, Graham said, declining to say how much the ads will cost.

Shares of Bausch & Lomb gained 56 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $46.17 yesterday in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The stock had fallen for 15 straight days through yesterday, losing 32 percent, or $1.18 billion of market value.

Analysts at Banc of America Securities LLC yesterday cut their forecast for the stock to $40 from $49 and said the company wasn't properly managing the situation.

Alcon

Alcon Inc., the world's largest eye-care company, also said yesterday it will increase production of contact lens solutions to meet demand. Alcon is exploring ways to boost production of its Opti-Free Express and Opti-Free Replenish lines, including increasing the size of each batch and adding workers to shifts at its plants, said spokesman Doug MacHatton.

Meeting the increase in demand would help Alcon take the lead in market share for the products, a position it currently shares with Bausch & Lomb.

Shares of Alcon, based in Hunnesberg, Switzerland and 75 percent owned by Nestle SA, rose $2.82, or 2.7 percent, to $105.82 yesterday in New York Stock Exchange composite trading today. The shares have risen 18 percent in the past year.

In yesterday's statement, Bausch & Lomb said its withdrawal of ReNu with MoistureLoc didn't apply to other Bausch & Lomb products, or to ReNu with MoistureLoc made outside the U.S. The product isn't sold in Canada, the company said.

In today's ad, the company said the withdrawal involved only the product made in the U.S. because the places where the infections are happening, including ``three countries in Asia and here in the U.S.'' are all ``served from the U.S. plant.''

Ethicist

Arthur Caplan, director of the bioethics center at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, criticized the company's initial failure to recall the cleanser.

``The way to protect their brand and show appropriate concern for their customers and patients is to say they don't know what's going on either, but until they do, they're pulling back the product that's out there,'' Caplan said in an April 12 telephone interview

Today, Caplan called the withdrawal decision ``great. They got there a little slow, but they did it,'' he said.

The company is in discussions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about the withdrawal, Graham said yesterday. She said today the move is not classified as a recall.

Refund

The company offered a refund or coupon for another Bausch & Lomb product to those who return of ReNu with MoistureLoc. Consumers were directed to the Web site http://www.bausch.com or the U.S. phone number (1) (888) 666-2258.

Bausch & Lomb sent a fax on its action to more than 200 retail customers, made personal calls to key accounts and sent an e-mailed letter to 39,500 optometrists, physicians and opticians, Graham said yesterday.

The eye fungus can cause severe corneal infections that can lead to blindness, according to the American Optometric Association. Symptoms include sudden blurred or fuzzy vision, red, irritated eyes, pain and sensitivity to light. Some patients reported significant vision loss and needed corneal transplants, U.S. officials said.

The fungus, which prefers warm, moist areas such as the bathroom and inside people's mouths, is naturally occurring in the soil and is carried on some vegetables.

Of 30 cases reviewed so far by the CDC, 26 involved wearers of soft contact lenses who were using Bausch & Lomb's ReNu products, the company said in an April 10 statement.

Since then, the agency has heard from people who suspect they have the infection, said spokesman Tom Skinner in a telephone interview yesterday. The agency is investigating the new information and will update its estimate next week, he said.

Nelson Huie, a New York man who says the company failed to warn users of the risk, filed suit yesterday in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, seeking class-action status, unspecified damages and a halt to sales.

The company is not aware of any additional lawsuits, Graham said today.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p..._P388&refer=us

simonandhallie · 04-14-2006, 11:35 AM

Oh isn't that fabulous? Guess I'll throw my bottle away when I get home!

bchgirl · 04-14-2006, 11:52 AM

My daughter's contacts were the extended wear...intended to last a year. So this past January, we go for her eye exam....there is something "growing" on the lens. She uses Re-nu. At the time, the doctor said it was not an infection just a fungus that grows because eventually yours eyes realize there's a foreign body in it. They suggested buying disposable lens and said that would take care of the problem. Now I wonder if there was really another connection????

GurleyGirl · 04-14-2006, 03:28 PM

Thanks for the info fasteddie. I went to the site and submitted my claim for a refund... I'll be going tomorrow to get some "new" contact lens solution.

Thanks again!!!

fasteddie · 04-14-2006, 03:35 PM

No problem! Yoda's Grandpa told me this morning and I know quite a few folks that use contacts...

BabyFidgette · 04-14-2006, 03:45 PM

Thanks for that. I checked, and I use Renu MultiPlus No Rub.

She-ra's Mama · 04-14-2006, 03:57 PM

Wow! Thanks for the info, I know what NOT to use!

jbarile · 04-14-2006, 04:08 PM

Thank you fasteddie!
I just went to the link you provided us with, and they are sending me a 8.00 coupon? thank you so much! you are just an added asset to YT!! just taking care of your family......

fasteddie · 04-14-2006, 04:39 PM

Hey, I gotta make sure everyone here can see! How else will we be able to post "Aww, that's cute" when we see a picture of a Yorkie?

jbarile · 04-14-2006, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fasteddie

Hey, I gotta make sure everyone here can see! How else will we be able to post "Aww, that's cute" when we see a picture of a Yorkie?

hey I just realized you live in washington! I am looking for a house to buy in Spanaway.. we will be neighbors! I dont know the area, so i dont really know how close you are my friend lives there so she is looking while Im picking from Calif.

fasteddie · 04-14-2006, 05:06 PM

Spanaway is about 48 miles south of Seattle, about an hour and 8 minutes away (depending on traffic). There's actually a Yorkie meetup group in the Tacoma/Lakewood, WA area starting up (run by a YT member) as well. That's probably 10-15 minutes away from Spanaway. And of course, it's bigger sister, the Seattle Yorkie Meetup Group, which meets up in Seattle.

Will this be a full-time residence? I don't know if you'd like the dreary, dark, grey, rainy fall and winter months of Washington, coming from sunny California...

jbarile · 04-14-2006, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fasteddie

Spanaway is about 48 miles south of Seattle, about an hour and 8 minutes away (depending on traffic). There's actually a Yorkie meetup group in the Tacoma/Lakewood, WA area starting up (run by a YT member) as well. That's probably 10-15 minutes away from Spanaway. And of course, it's bigger sister, the Seattle Yorkie Meetup Group, which meets up in Seattle.

Will this be a full-time residence? I don't know if you'd like the dreary, dark, grey, rainy fall and winter months of Washington, coming from sunny California...

Yes Im selling my home and moving to Spanaway, my friend warned about the weather, but not quite discribed like you! Ha ha well the summer months in Paradise are hot 105 and above at times, I have been here about 27 years in this area, I have been in Calif all my life except that I lived in New York city for awhile (2yrs) I loved NY, but I retired from the fast city and came back to Cali, and now with all my children grown I thought I need to do something drastic! like relocate.. out with the old in with the new.. a midlife crisis kinda thing haha well it's good to know that I will be amongst a YT member...

eyedoc · 04-14-2006, 05:24 PM

Very well stated information Fast Eddie! Make sure all you contact lens wearing Yokie lovers are also washing your hands with soap and water before handling your contacts and throw away your case every three months. Cases should also be washed and sterilized monthly. Contact your eyedoc asap if you develope symptoms of redness, pain, light sensitivity, tearing or blurred vision. Better to be safe than sorry!! We have been very busy in our office this week due to this event. I hope B+L survives this...Rochester can't afford to loose another big company

fasteddie · 04-14-2006, 07:21 PM

Thanks eyedoc! Always better to hear it directly from a professional, as sometimes news stories get bits of info lost in translation!

jbarile: Wow, well congrats! There's quite a few YT people up around these parts! The summers in the Seattle area are extremely nice (generally sunny and around 75-80)! Heck, I believe we had one stretch without rain for 30 whole days!

jbarile · 04-14-2006, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fasteddie

Thanks eyedoc! Always better to hear it directly from a professional, as sometimes news stories get bits of info lost in translation!

jbarile: Wow, well congrats! There's quite a few YT people up around these parts! The summers in the Seattle area are extremely nice (generally sunny and around 75-80)! Heck, I believe we had one stretch without rain for 30 whole days!

Thanks! This helped a lot!
extremely nice (generally sunny and around 75-80)! Heck, I believe we had one stretch without rain for 30 whole days!

04-14-2006, 10:56 AM	#1
fasteddie *YT 6000 Club Member* Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 6,238	Contacts Lens Wearers: Don't Use Bausch & Lomb ReNu with MoistureLoc! That particular ReNu with MoistureLoc has been recalled (apparently other ReNu products are okay). So please stop using it if you have it still! --- April 14 (Bloomberg) -- Bausch & Lomb Inc. ran ads today urging that consumers use other contact lens cleaners made by the company, such as ReNu MultiPlus, rather than one withdrawn after being linked to an infection that can cause blindness. The company late yesterday said it was withdrawing ReNu with MoistureLoc in the U.S. and offering refunds to consumers. A full-page color advertisement in the USA Today newspaper also said the product had not been proven as a cause of the infection, only that there was a ``disproportionate association'' between it and ``a small number of events.'' ``I am sorry for any inconvenience or anxiety this situation has caused,'' Chief Executive Officer Ron Zarrella wrote in a section of the ad designed to look like a letter. The ad campaign, set to run in 11 U.S. markets, may blunt criticism from marketing specialists and a medical ethicist who said this week the 153-year-old optical products maker wasn't doing enough to inform the nation's 30 million wearers of contact lenses. Bausch & Lomb stopped shipping the cleaner April 10 when U.S. health officials said it was probing 109 reports of a rare fungal eye infection linked to the product's use. Yesterday, the Rochester, New York-based company asked that drugstores and supermarkets remove the solution from shelves, an action many, including Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Walgreen Co., Albertson's Inc. and CVS Corp., had already taken. In a section of the ad that lists six questions and answers, Bausch & Lomb urged that consumers who use the withdrawn product switch to the company's ReNu MultiPlus, ReNu Multi-Purpose cleaners or ``another respected brand.'' Impact Unclear It's ``a little bit to early to tell'' what the financial impact of the withdrawal will be, said company spokeswoman Meg Graham in a telephone interview today. ``It depends on how long this lasts.'' The company will meet today to ``flesh out'' a communications strategy beyond the current campaign, Graham said, declining to say how much the ads will cost. Shares of Bausch & Lomb gained 56 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $46.17 yesterday in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The stock had fallen for 15 straight days through yesterday, losing 32 percent, or $1.18 billion of market value. Analysts at Banc of America Securities LLC yesterday cut their forecast for the stock to $40 from $49 and said the company wasn't properly managing the situation. Alcon Alcon Inc., the world's largest eye-care company, also said yesterday it will increase production of contact lens solutions to meet demand. Alcon is exploring ways to boost production of its Opti-Free Express and Opti-Free Replenish lines, including increasing the size of each batch and adding workers to shifts at its plants, said spokesman Doug MacHatton. Meeting the increase in demand would help Alcon take the lead in market share for the products, a position it currently shares with Bausch & Lomb. Shares of Alcon, based in Hunnesberg, Switzerland and 75 percent owned by Nestle SA, rose $2.82, or 2.7 percent, to $105.82 yesterday in New York Stock Exchange composite trading today. The shares have risen 18 percent in the past year. In yesterday's statement, Bausch & Lomb said its withdrawal of ReNu with MoistureLoc didn't apply to other Bausch & Lomb products, or to ReNu with MoistureLoc made outside the U.S. The product isn't sold in Canada, the company said. In today's ad, the company said the withdrawal involved only the product made in the U.S. because the places where the infections are happening, including ``three countries in Asia and here in the U.S.'' are all ``served from the U.S. plant.'' Ethicist Arthur Caplan, director of the bioethics center at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, criticized the company's initial failure to recall the cleanser. ``The way to protect their brand and show appropriate concern for their customers and patients is to say they don't know what's going on either, but until they do, they're pulling back the product that's out there,'' Caplan said in an April 12 telephone interview Today, Caplan called the withdrawal decision ``great. They got there a little slow, but they did it,'' he said. The company is in discussions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about the withdrawal, Graham said yesterday. She said today the move is not classified as a recall. Refund The company offered a refund or coupon for another Bausch & Lomb product to those who return of ReNu with MoistureLoc. Consumers were directed to the Web site http://www.bausch.com or the U.S. phone number (1) (888) 666-2258. Bausch & Lomb sent a fax on its action to more than 200 retail customers, made personal calls to key accounts and sent an e-mailed letter to 39,500 optometrists, physicians and opticians, Graham said yesterday. The eye fungus can cause severe corneal infections that can lead to blindness, according to the American Optometric Association. Symptoms include sudden blurred or fuzzy vision, red, irritated eyes, pain and sensitivity to light. Some patients reported significant vision loss and needed corneal transplants, U.S. officials said. The fungus, which prefers warm, moist areas such as the bathroom and inside people's mouths, is naturally occurring in the soil and is carried on some vegetables. Of 30 cases reviewed so far by the CDC, 26 involved wearers of soft contact lenses who were using Bausch & Lomb's ReNu products, the company said in an April 10 statement. Since then, the agency has heard from people who suspect they have the infection, said spokesman Tom Skinner in a telephone interview yesterday. The agency is investigating the new information and will update its estimate next week, he said. Nelson Huie, a New York man who says the company failed to warn users of the risk, filed suit yesterday in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, seeking class-action status, unspecified damages and a halt to sales. The company is not aware of any additional lawsuits, Graham said today. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p..._P388&refer=us __________________ YODA & WINKY R ::: RIP Winky ::: RIP Yoda!

04-14-2006, 11:52 AM	#3
bchgirl Donating YT 10K Club Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: at da beach Posts: 15,444 Blog Entries: 2	My daughter's contacts were the extended wear...intended to last a year. So this past January, we go for her eye exam....there is something "growing" on the lens. She uses Re-nu. At the time, the doctor said it was not an infection just a fungus that grows because eventually yours eyes realize there's a foreign body in it. They suggested buying disposable lens and said that would take care of the problem. Now I wonder if there was really another connection???? __________________ Deb, Reese, Reggie, Frazier, Libby, Sidney, & Bodie Trace & Ramsey who watch over us www.biewersbythebay.com

04-14-2006, 03:28 PM	#4
GurleyGirl YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Scott City, Missouri Posts: 1,879	Thanks for the info fasteddie. I went to the site and submitted my claim for a refund... I'll be going tomorrow to get some "new" contact lens solution. Thanks again!!! __________________ Joanne Gurley's Yorkies

04-14-2006, 03:35 PM	#5
fasteddie *YT 6000 Club Member* Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 6,238	No problem! Yoda's Grandpa told me this morning and I know quite a few folks that use contacts... __________________ YODA & WINKY R ::: RIP Winky ::: RIP Yoda!

04-14-2006, 03:45 PM	#6
BabyFidgette Learn Yorkie CPR! Donating Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: New Jersey Posts: 6,855	Thanks for that. I checked, and I use Renu MultiPlus No Rub. __________________ Nicole & Baby "The more men I meet, the more I love my Yorkie!"

04-14-2006, 11:35 AM	#2
simonandhallie *I Love My Monkeys!* Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Falling Waters, WV Posts: 11,166	Oh isn't that fabulous? Guess I'll throw my bottle away when I get home!

04-14-2006, 03:57 PM	#7
She-ra's Mama Got Yorkies? Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: S.E. Mo Posts: 1,602	Wow! Thanks for the info, I know what NOT to use! __________________ She-Ra Marie ~ 9-22-02 to 2-22-06 Dixie Belle ~ 10-12-2006 to 12-13-2008 You girls left us way to soon. I miss you both.

04-14-2006, 04:08 PM	#8
jbarile Tilly & Sami Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Syracuse, Utah Posts: 1,133	Thank you fasteddie! I just went to the link you provided us with, and they are sending me a 8.00 coupon? thank you so much! you are just an added asset to YT!! just taking care of your family......

04-14-2006, 04:39 PM	#9
fasteddie *YT 6000 Club Member* Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 6,238	Hey, I gotta make sure everyone here can see! How else will we be able to post "Aww, that's cute" when we see a picture of a Yorkie? __________________ YODA & WINKY R ::: RIP Winky ::: RIP Yoda!

04-14-2006, 05:06 PM	#11
fasteddie *YT 6000 Club Member* Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 6,238	Spanaway is about 48 miles south of Seattle, about an hour and 8 minutes away (depending on traffic). There's actually a Yorkie meetup group in the Tacoma/Lakewood, WA area starting up (run by a YT member) as well. That's probably 10-15 minutes away from Spanaway. And of course, it's bigger sister, the Seattle Yorkie Meetup Group, which meets up in Seattle. Will this be a full-time residence? I don't know if you'd like the dreary, dark, grey, rainy fall and winter months of Washington, coming from sunny California... __________________ YODA & WINKY R ::: RIP Winky ::: RIP Yoda!

04-14-2006, 05:24 PM	#13
eyedoc Donating Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 291	Very well stated information Fast Eddie! Make sure all you contact lens wearing Yokie lovers are also washing your hands with soap and water before handling your contacts and throw away your case every three months. Cases should also be washed and sterilized monthly. Contact your eyedoc asap if you develope symptoms of redness, pain, light sensitivity, tearing or blurred vision. Better to be safe than sorry!! We have been very busy in our office this week due to this event. I hope B+L survives this...Rochester can't afford to loose another big company __________________ Pam & Fagan

04-14-2006, 07:21 PM	#14
fasteddie *YT 6000 Club Member* Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 6,238	Thanks eyedoc! Always better to hear it directly from a professional, as sometimes news stories get bits of info lost in translation! jbarile: Wow, well congrats! There's quite a few YT people up around these parts! The summers in the Seattle area are extremely nice (generally sunny and around 75-80)! Heck, I believe we had one stretch without rain for 30 whole days! __________________ YODA & WINKY R ::: RIP Winky ::: RIP Yoda!