The recent withdrawal from the market of a popular contact lens solution under investigation in an outbreak of a rare eye infection has left many contact lens users confused and concerned. Eye doctors report a surge in calls from users of Bausch & Lomb's ReNu with MoistureLoc MultiPurpose Solution, which the company has asked retailers to stop selling.

photos.com Lens care basics Eye care professionals say the recent fungal infection outbreak should remind contact lens wearers to take proper care of their lenses. Basic precautions to reduce risk of contamination include: Always wash hands with soap and water, then dry them before handling lenses. Rub lenses with contact lens solution, even if your solution container says that's not necessary. Don't wear contacts longer than recommended. Replace and discard contacts that begin to feel uncomfortable or cause irritation. Replace contact lens solution in your lens case daily. Keep your contact lens case clean, and buy a new case every few months. Always keep a backup pair of glasses. More information Consumers with supplies of MoistureLoc can receive a refund or a coupon to purchase other products by completing a form at Bausch & Lomb's Web site.

Late last month, the Food and Drug Administration recommended that people stop using it and throw away any remaining supplies.

"We've gotten a lot of calls from people" worried about fusarium keratitis -- a fungal eye infection that can cause corneal scarring and permanent blindness, said Dr. Roy Rubinfeld, a spokesman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and a practicing ophthalmologist. "Fortunately, we haven't seen any" cases.

"People are calling my office off the hook saying, 'My eyes itch. Is that the fungus?' " According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 176 cases of fusarium keratitis are suspected or confirmed in 27 states. The infection is linked to fusarium, a fungus found in plants, tap water and soil. Risk factors include trauma (usually involving plant material), immunodeficiency, chronic ocular surface diseases and, on rare occasions, contact lens use, according to the FDA. The FDA says that in a population of 10,000 people, four to 21 cases of severe eye infection -- called microbial keratitis, which includes fusarium -- will occur annually. Fusarium infection is so rare that many eye doctors have never seen a case. Symptoms include redness, blurry vision, discharge, swelling, tearing, pain and increased sensitivity to light.

Eye itchiness, said Rubinfeld, is more likely due to spring allergies.

He advises contact wearers who experience eye irritation to switch to glasses. If symptoms persist beyond a few hours, experts recommend seeing a doctor -- or going to the emergency room if symptoms are severe.

A fusarium keratitis infection can be confirmed through a culture taken at a doctor's office. Treatment for the infection usually begins with medications; if that's not effective, surgery -- including a cornea transplant -- may be necessary.

Experts said the outbreak should remind contact lens users -- about 30 million of them in the United States -- that contacts carry risks.

"I think this is a real wake-up call for both patients and the medical community," said Arthur Epstein, chair of the American Optometric Association's contact lens and cornea section.

Eye care professionals are advising lens wearers to follow basic precautions such as washing your hands with soap and water before handling your contacts.

So far, no evidence has directly linked MoistureLoc solution to the 30 cases of fungal infections investigated so far, reports the FDA. Bausch & Lomb says it is testing its products and has thoroughly inspected the U.S. plant that makes the solution; nothing has turned up to date implicating MoistureLoc, according to a statement from the company.