Overview of Complete® MoisturePlus™

Complete® MoisturePLUS is an "all-in-one" multipurpose solution for soft contact lenses manufactured by Advanced Medical Optics, Inc (AMO) of Santa Ana, California. In May 2007 the company announced a voluntary recall of its entire product after a study reported an unusually high number of cases of a serious and potentially blinding eye infection, Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK). The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had received reports of 138 confirmed cases of Acanthamoeba keratitis in individuals who used Complete® MoisturePLUS. The CDC estimates that people who used Complete® MoisturePLUS face seven times greater risk of developing Acanthamoeba keratitis as compared to those who use other contact lens cleaning solutions. At the time of the recall Complete® MoisturePLUS represented approximately 10% of the contact lens solution market in the United States.

What health problems are associated with Complete® MoisturePLUS?
Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is a rare but extremely serious, infection of the cornea, the clear tissue on the outside of the eyeball. AK is also known as a corneal ulcer. Acanthamoeba is a microscopic, water-borne parasite that can cause in AK when it invades the cornea. Generally, Acanthamoeba keratitis occurs in about one or two out of every one million contact lens wearers. The CDC reported that among soft contact lens users who developed AK, 60% reported using Complete® MoisturePLUS within the month preceding the onset of AK.

Symptoms of Acanthamoeba keratitis include severe pain, redness, and minimal or no discharge. The diagnosis of AK requires a microscopic examination of the cells taken from the cornea, using specialized laboratory staining techniques. If the diagnosis of AK is confirmed, treatment with multiple antibiotics is initiated and hospitalization is frequently required. Some patients diagnosed with Acanthamoeba keratitis incur severe corneal scarring and require corneal transplantation, even if the infection is controlled. Substantial loss of vision, and in some cases, loss of the eye itself may occur, even with early medical intervention. Early treatment is very important to achieve the best clinical outcome.

What should you do if you used Complete® MoisturePLUS?
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration issued the following recommendations to people who have used Complete® MoisturePLUS multipurpose solution for contact lenses:
Get rid of all the recalled solution immediately; do not use it again. (However, if you may be pursuing a claim for compensation, you may want to save both the remaining solution and your evidence of the purchase of the product, such as a receipt.)
Buy new contact lens solution,of a different brand. Your eye doctor can advise you.
Get rid of your lenses and storage container.
If you suspect that you have an eye infection, or see any signs of infection, immediately seek treatment.

Should you contact an attorney?
If you or a loved one used Complete® MoisturePLUS contact lens cleaning solution and developed Acanthamoeba keratitis, you should contact an experienced pharmaceutical attorney immediately for review of a potential claim against Advanced Medical Optics, Inc., the manufacturer of Complete® MoisturePLUS. There are deadlines set by laws which regulate the filing of lawsuits called statutes of limitation. These deadlines vary state by state. If you know that you or a loved one was harmed by Complete® MoisturePLUS, you should not delay in contacting an attorney. If the statute of limitations for your state expires, your right to pursue a claim against the manufacturer may be forever barred.