Are you a person who considers contact lenses as a simple solution for clear vision? Time for a reality check. Get ready to explore the detailed history of contact lens lawsuits filed against brands that manufactured defective contact lenses and their settlements. Along the way, we’ll also examine the stories of individuals who have suffered injuries due to defective contact lenses.
What is a contact lens?
A contact lens is a small, thin, and clear disc that you wear directly on your eyeball to improve your vision. It fixes issues like nearsightedness (Myopia) or farsightedness (Hyperopia), so you no longer have to carry glasses with you wherever you go.
Let’s discuss about few advantages that contact lens bring for improved vision and life style.
Advantages of Contact Lens
- Clear and natural vision
- Discreet correction
- Active lifestyle
- No glare or reflections
- Comfort and freedom
However, wearing contact lenses also comes with several disadvantages that you should be aware of before choosing them as your vision companion.
Disadvantages of Contact Lens
- Take time to get accustomed
- Easily lost
- Risk of eye infection
- Hard to handle
- Fragile and prone to tearing
- Expensive than glasses
- Risk of scratches
- Need maintenance
Now that we’ve discussed the disadvantages, the next question that comes to your mind: could this be a reason for serious personal injuries? Why do people file a personal injury or product liability lawsuit against contact lens brands? Let’s deliberate one by one.
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Contact Lens Damage and Injury
Contact lens damage and injuries result from using low quality lenses and bad hygiene. Improper handling of lenses during insertion, removal, or cleaning can result in corneal scratching and irritation.
Wearing lenses for a long time repeatedly without rest reduces the oxygen content of the cornea, which leads to redness, swelling and possible complications. Poorly fitting or poor quality lenses make the problems much worse by causing bacterial growth and other infections.
Allergic reactions to lens materials or expired solutions cause discomfort and itching. Proper hygiene, planned breaks and professional advice minimize the risk of damage. Discomfort, redness, or blurred vision requires removal of the lens and medical attention.
However, recognizing the symptoms of poor fitting contact lenses for maintaining optimal eye health and comfort is also vital.
Now let’s hunt through the indicators that can help you identify whether your contact lenses are fitting correctly or not.
Symptoms of Poor Fitting Contact Lenses
Poor fitting contact lenses consists of various discomforts and risks to vision. Proper care is necessary for lenses to function well. To do this, it is necessary to follow the maintenance schedules recommended by your ophthalmologist. By following these guidelines, you can maintain eye health.
Neglecting these guidelines will directly lead to discomfort and possible vision problems. While symptoms of discomfort are common among lens wearers, they can indicate improper care and should be addressed if the discomfort continues. Signs include:
- Burning, stinging, irritation, or eye pain
- Initial discomfort when placing the lens
- Excessive tearing
- Abnormal eye secretions
- Eye redness
- Reduced vision clarity
- Sensitivity to light (photophobia)
Having discussed the signs of poor fitting contact lenses. Let’s now delve into the subject of defective contact lenses.
Defective Contact Lens
A defective contact lens is a lens that does not function properly or fulfill its intended purpose of improving vision, often causing discomfort or hindering clear eyesight.
Defective contact lenses can cause discomfort like itching or redness repeatedly. Therefore, you may experience an uncomfortable feeling in your eyes.
Contact lenses also have manufacturing defects and cause problems for the wearers. One of the most common problems is that sometimes lenses are not manufactured in the right shape, which can result in being uncomfortable and not correcting the wearer’s vision properly.
Sometimes there are air bubbles or dirt in the lenses, which can cause eye irritation. If the lenses are not placed correctly in the eye, vision can get worse.
Manufacturing problems also arise due to the lenses not being properly cleaned, which can lead to infection. In order to avoid these problems, ophthalmic optics companies need to be very careful when manufacturing lenses, and users should also take care of them.
Eye Lens Problems and Solution
Eye lens problems are common issues that can affect people’s vision. One common problem is Myopia, where distant objects appear blurry. Another is hyperopia, causing nearby items to be unclear. Astigmatism results in distorted vision due to an irregularly shaped lens or cornea. Presbyopia is age related, making it hard to focus on nearby objects.
Glasses can be the solution to these problems. It can correct various vision problems and come in stylish designs. Contact lenses are a discreet alternative and offer a larger field of vision. Refractive surgery such as LASIK can also reshape the lens or cornea, permanently improving vision. Regular eye exams help identify and correct these problems, ensuring clear and comfortable vision in everyday activities.
Lately, numerous individuals have been facing legal issues related to contact lenses due to concerns about safety, usage, and potential health risks, leading to various lawsuits.
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What is a Contact Lens Lawsuit?
A contact lens lawsuit relates to a legal conflict that arises from problems related to defective contact lenses. These issues include claims of damage from defective lenses, disagreements about exact prescriptions, or differences about how to use and care for the lenses.
Eligibility for Contact Lens Lawsuit
In a contact lens lawsuit, eligibility depends on a few factors.
First, individuals who have experienced serious eye problems, discomfort, or injuries using certain contact lens brands may be eligible.
Second, those who can provide medical records and evidence of the harm caused by the lenses might have a stronger case. Additionally, if a product has been found to be defective, more people might qualify for the lawsuit. It’s important to note that eligibility can vary based on the specific circumstances of each case.
If you believe you might be eligible, it’s always good to consult a legal professional who specializes in product liability cases. They can review your situation and help determine if you have a valid claim for compensation.
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Hubble Contact Lens
Hubble was founded in 2016 and raised more than $70 million via donations from big companies like Colgate Palmolive.
Founders Ben Cogan and Jesse Horwitz reportedly came up with the idea for the company after Cogans lens prices rose in 2015.However, a darkness looms over their success due to concerning allegations.
Hubble Contact Lens Lawsuit
A New Mexico woman, Stephanie Guarisco of Clovis, bought Hubble contact lenses through a consumer business website in early 2020. She sued Hubble’s parent company, Vision Path, for negligence, consumer fraud and other counts.
Guarisco alleged in her contact lens class action lawsuit that she had to remove her eye because the contact lenses she bought from Hubble Contact lens were defective. She also experienced severe pain and injury after using the lenses for only a few weeks, eventually leading to the loss of her right eye.
On June 30, she filed a lawsuit in New York State Supreme Court. She wore daily lenses until late July of that same year. Weeks later, severe pain in her left eye urges her to visit a hospital emergency room, and an optometrist subsequently diagnoses Guarisco with an inflamed iris condition called iridocyclitis.
According to court documents, the lawsuit also states that she was later diagnosed with a corneal ulcer in her left eye. But Guarisco’s eye problems worsened and she had to go to the emergency room because her right eye developed allergy symptoms like discharge, redness, itching and blurred vision.
Issues with Methafilcon A
Methafilcon A is a hydrogel material commonly used in the manufacturing of soft contact lenses.It is well known for its liquid content and compatablity which makes it comfortable for wearers and allow oxygen to pass through the cornea. While offering comfort, its use can lead to potential harm. Extended wearing may reduce oxygen supply to the cornea, increasing risks of irritation, infections, and corneal ulcers, particularly without proper cleaning and lens hygiene.
Guarisco claims that she lost her sight because the Hubble contact lenses are made in Taiwan from Methafilcon A, a silicone-based polymer. Many optometrists reported that the material is not suitable for making contact lenses because it doesn’t get enough oxygen into the eye.
According to the lawsuit, Hubble’s contact lenses are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but methafilcon A is a harmful material which isn’t prescribed for contact lenses in the United States.
The complaint also accuses Vision Path for not following proper procedures in verifying customer prescriptions and paying customers for positive reviews of the lenses on its website.
Prior FTC Settlement
Guarisco’s lawsuit is not Hubble’s first round of legal troubles.
In January 2022 Vision Path paid the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) a $3.5 million settlement for failing to provide customers with proper eye care prescriptions for contact lenses.
The FTC’s Contact Lens Rule requires that contact lens vendors either obtain a copy of the consumer’s prescription or verify the patient’s prescription information with their eye care professional.
This was the highest settlement ever paid by a company for violating US contact lens regulations. On June 2022 Vision Path also paid nearly $375,000 in a Texas settlement.
Other Contact Lens Lawsuit Settlements
In 2019, a class action lawsuit accusing Alcon and Johnson & Johnson Vision for anticompetitive price fixing ended by separating their disposable contact lens settlement of $75 million equally. At first, the proposals were put forth in April of last year and agreed by all parties.
According to court filings, Alcon agreed to pay $20 million, while J&J Vision will dole out $55 million. They joined previous settlements from Bausch and Lomb (B&L) and CooperVision, which agreed to pay $10 million and $3 million.
A separate filing noted that one third of the total settlement fees of $88 million and an additional $1.6 million in costs and expenses will be paid in the form of attorneys’ fees, totaling nearly $31 million. Many got the link for contact lens settlement 2024 payment in April.
LASIK Eye Surgery
LASIK is a surgical process that helps people to see without the support of contact lenses or glasses. Usually, this method is done on people with nearsightedness. This surgery permanently changes the shape of the patient’s cornea.
A person should never plan for LASIK surgery without proper medical advice from a doctor, because people with particular medical conditions usually have serious injuries after LASIK surgery.
In the US, Lasik eye surgery is the most popular procedure done for correcting vision. More than 1 million Americans have been through LASIK surgery to correct their vision. Unfortunately, many people reported that there are some complications after LASIK surgery which include severe eye pain, astigmatism, vision problems, light sensitivity, and even blindness. If you have an unusual eye problem after LASIK surgery, contact an attorney immediately for legal advice.
LASIK Lawsuit
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US controls the sales and distribution of all medical devices including the laser devices used in Lasik surgery. However, the FDA does not have broad authority to regulate a doctor’s practice, even if it involves the use of Lasik surgical equipment.
The FDA does not have any control over eye surgery specifically.
The maximum number of Lasik lawsuits are claimed under medical malpractice, such as a doctor’s failure while performing surgery. Lasik surgery malpractice also involves a doctor who performed the surgery should notice physical condition of the patient.
LASIK Lawsuit Settlements
- 25 million dollars was the largest verdict ever for a case involving LASIK medical malpractice.
- 4 million dollars, the second largest verdict, which includes 3 million dollars for a client’s pain and suffering.
- In Maryland, they settled a million dollars for a malpractice case due to performing careless LASIK surgery.
How much does a Contact Lens Injury Eye Settlements Pay a Person?
Contact lens injury eye settlements provide compensation for individuals who experience harm due to lens-related issues, helping them cover medical costs and address the impacts of their injuries.
In the US Settlements for contact lens eye injuries, compensation differs based on the factors like the severity of the injury, medical expenses, long term effects, and the responsible party’s liability.
Compensation can range from a few thousand dollars to several hundred thousand dollars in more severe cases. It’s necessary to consult with legal professionals experienced in personal injury cases to work on a fair settlement that covers medical costs, lost wages, and potential long-term impacts.
Is the Contact Lens Settlement Legit?
Yes, the contact lens class action settlement is legitimate and verified by reputable sources, offering compensation for those affected by specific lens products.
The process involves a medical record review to confirm eligibility. To ensure accuracy, it’s crucial to understand the settlement details, provide precise medical records, and consult reliable sources.
LezDo TechMed excels in comprehensive medical record reviews, guaranteeing perfect evaluations for legal cases such as this. With our expert handling, you can confidently present the necessary documentation, knowing your records are treated with the utmost confidentiality and professionalism throughout the eye injury lawsuit settlement process.
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To conclude, a contact lens lawsuit shows us how important eye safety is. A product that helps with vision problems can also cause discomfort and infections. Plaintiff’s need medical evidence to prove that they were harmed due to defective contact lenses. Knowing signs of badly fitting lenses matters a lot.
Replacing defective lenses is mandatory. Regularly checking the condition of your lenses and addressing any issues immediately will ensure continued clear vision and comfort. If you notice any irregularities in your lenses, it’s important to take immediate action to prevent further discomfort or vision complications.
Talking to an attorney quickly would fetch you better legal advice. Trust facts from good sources. LezDo TechMed can help defective contact lens attorneys with reviewing medical records for their plaintiffs. Remember, using lenses right and keeping eyes clean are crucial for good vision and eye health.
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