Bausch & Lomb has withdrawn the contact lens cleanser ReNu with MoistureLoc from the market. The cleanser is considered to be the "potential root cause" of the widespread outbreak of Fusarium keratitis, a fungal eye infection that can cause blindness.
Extensive federal inspections of Bausch & Lomb's factory have found no evidence of contamination, leading some to speculate that Alexidine, a disinfectant traditionally used in mouthwashes that was recently added to the MoistureLoc recipe, may be responsible for the outbreak.
In some circumstances, its fungicidal properties may deteriorate, allowing fungal growth to occur.
There have been 122 confirmed cases of Fusarium keratitis in the United States and more overseas; most of the cases have been contact lens wearers who use MoistureLoc. About 2.3 million Americans used MoistureLoc.