Bausch & Lomb says source of fungal eye infections a mystery

Wednesday, April 5th 2006, 1:38 pm

By: News On 6

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) _ Bausch and Lomb says the source of a spike in dangerous fungal eye infections linked by federal health officials to a contact lens solution sold by the company remains a mystery.

The company stopped shipments of the ReNu with MoistureLoc made at its plant in Greenville, South Carolina on Monday night.

Chief Executive Ron Zarella says the company has ruled out a number of theories.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating 109 reports of infection caused by a fungus called Fusarium in patients in 17 states. The agency has made --no-- direct link between ReNu and the infections. A high incidence of the affected people had used the solution.

Bausch and Lomb stopped short of pulling the brand, but merchants led by Wal-Mart began removing it from store shelves Tuesday.