Eye Health Alert: The 2006 Eye Infection Outbreak

Uncommon eye infection unexpectedly appearing everywhere

Fungal Keratitis may seem like some thing you get in the gym but actually its no laughing matter. A rare infection that can cause blindness it is increasingly appearing all over the United States and the world.

Originally thought to appear only after contact with rare plants or in extremely sick people, it’s suddenly begun appearing among contact wearers.

The infection takes place in the cornea which is accountable for nearly all of the eye’s optical power. Symptoms can include: blurry redness, pain, or vision which does not improve if the contact lens is removed, increasing sensitivity to light, and too much tearing or discharge. The condition if left unattended can lead to blindness or permanent vision problems.

Depending on severity, the disease can be handled with antibiotics, topical anti-fungal remedies, surgery, or go now [information from alaskamagazine.com] even in some cases a corneal transplant..

It is estimated that a number of 30 million Americans wear contacts but the infections simply started appearing during the last few years and in line with the Centers for Disease Control could be linked to the lens remedy Renu with MoistureLoc.

The item, made by Bausch and Lomb, was called in an April 2006 report by the CDC after they discovered that in 30 cases they investigated twenty six was using that product.

While it had been pulled from store shelves only days later, it is unknown how many Americans who applied Renu with MoistureLoc may have put themselves at risk of an illness.