Bausch & Lomb denied accusations that their ReNu with MoistureLoc contact lens solution caused a man’s eye infection in a court of law.
The plaintiff, Michael Pouch had worn contact lenses since July 2005 and used the ReNu with MoistureLoc Multi-Purpose Solution that he bought at a Wal-Mart in Lumberton, Texas. In early May of 2006, Pouch started to feel pain and lose vision in his right eye. He was diagnosed with Fusarium Keratitis, a fungal infection, after he visited the Wal-Mart Vision Center.
Pouch is seeking punitive damages from Bausch & Lomb, Wal-Mart, and three employees from the Wal-Mart Vision Center. He is claiming that these parties knew that the ReNu with MoistureLoc Multi-Purpose Solution was causing the fungal infection that affected him and others all over the world.
Bausch & Lomb deny all allegations against their company and states that the "contact lenses and lens solutions that it designs, manufactures, and distributes are free from all defects at the time they leave the care, custody and control of B&L and are reasonably fit for their intended and reasonably anticipated use and were marketed with adequate and sufficient warnings."
Wal-Mart claims that because they did not manufacture the product and had no control over what went in the solution or what went on the label, they should not be held responsible. The employees of the vision center say they thought the solution was reasonably safe and did not know the product was causing infection in customers. The defense claims that Wal-Mart and the employees should be dropped from the lawsuit.
The case was accepted on May 18th by a U.S. District Court Judge in Texas, and was given a June 8 deadline for an attorney conference.