Bausch & Lomb Canada Inc. said today Canadian retailers and customers are not affected by the voluntary market withdrawal of U.S. made contact lens solution ReNu(R) with MoistureLoc(R), as that product is not sold in Canada.

B&L Canada's parent company, Bausch & Lomb, today asked U.S. retailers to remove ReNu with MoistureLoc from their shelves temporarily, and recommended that consumers switch to another lens care solution for the time being, until the investigation of reports of Fusarium keratitis infections among contact lens wearers in the United States is concluded. The U.S. based company initiated the voluntary market withdrawal in order to eliminate any confusion among contact lens wearers about what to do while the investigation is ongoing. Today's action does not apply to other Bausch & Lomb products.

"For more than 150 years, Bausch & Lomb's mission has been to enhance your vision," says Ronald L. Zarrella, chairman and CEO of the company. "We find ourselves in a position where the safety of one of our products, ReNu with MoistureLoc manufactured in Greenville, S.C., is in question. We've done a series of exhaustive tests on the product, and a thorough inspection of the plant, and nothing has yet been found to show that ReNu with MoistureLoc contributed to these infections in any way."

"We want to reassure Canadians that the lens care solution that has been voluntarily withdrawn from the U.S. market is not sold in Canada," said Dennis O'Brien, General Manager of B&L Canada. "We have been in frequent contact with Health Canada since the first appearance of Fusarium keratitis in Asia and we will continue to assist with any new information as it arises."

There have been no patient reported cases of Fusarium keratitis in Canada.

All of B&L Canada products are approved by Health Canada prior to being sold. As well, each shipment of solution is rigorously tested before it's put on store shelves.

In the U.S., Bausch & Lomb has been collaborating with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the CDC, major eye centers and health authorities in a comprehensive investigation to determine if the reports represent an increase in the historical incidence of these infections, and to determine the root cause.

Bausch & Lomb encourages contact lens wearers to strictly follow the contact lens wear and care recommendations of their eye care professionals in order to be sure they continue to enjoy safe and comfortable contact lens wear.

Bausch & Lomb is the eye health company, dedicated to perfecting vision and enhancing life for consumers around the world. Its core businesses include soft and rigid gas permeable contact lenses and lens care products, and ophthalmic surgical and pharmaceutical products. The Bausch & Lomb name is one of the best known and most respected healthcare brands in the world. Founded in 1853, the Company is headquartered in Rochester, New York. Bausch & Lomb's 2004 revenues were $2.2 billion; it employs approximately 13,700 people worldwide and its products are available in more than 100 countries. More information about the Company is on the Bausch & Lomb Web site at www.bausch.ca. Copyright Bausch & Lomb Incorporated.

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For further information: contact: Bausch & Lomb Canada, 1-888-459-5000

Source: newswire