Avaira recalls nearly 5 million contact lenses

>Avaira recalls nearly 5 million contact lenses (Alberta Times) CooperVision has recently expanded its recall operation, recalling nearly...

(Alberta Times)

> CooperVision has recently expanded its recall operation, recalling nearly 5 million contact lenses that have been sold, including a second brand of Avaira, which may be contaminated by silicone oil (silicone) oil) residual contamination and cause blurred vision, eye trauma and severe pain. California-based CooperVision said in a news release that it added Avaira Sphere lenses to its recall list on Tuesday, following a recall of Avaira Toric contact lenses in August. The reason for the recall is that some batches failed to meet quality standards due to oil residue. A company spokesman said that 6.6 million Avaira Sphere lenses produced on the production line were affected by the recall, but only 4.9 million were actually shipped. The recall comes after the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a Class I warning for the product, forcing the company last month to step up public communications about its recall of nearly 780,000 Avaira Toric lenses. Category 1 product recalls are the most serious and involve problems that could result in serious adverse health consequences or death. Dozens of Avaira Sphere users have reported problems including blurred vision, pain and serious injuries, including damage to the cornea of ​​the eye, requiring emergency medical attention. Company officials were accused of conducting a "stealth recall" in August that left many consumers unaware that the products they were using were defective. Company officials pointed out that in addition to the above two products, silicone oil is also used in the production of other product lines. The company expects to set aside $9 million as cost reserves to expand the recall. All told, the company expects the recall to cost the company $23.2 million. For questions about the recall, consumers should contact the company at: 1-855-526-6737.