WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA)’s Ophthalmic Devices Panel’s medical advisory committee will hold a public hearing here on June 10 to discuss general issues concerning patients’ post-market experience with various contact lens care products.

The hearings are being held after investigation and research into the safety of certain contact lens care products, some of which were recalled from the U.S. market for various reasons in late 2006 and 2007.

Last Friday, the agency outlined some proposals and certain new testing standards such as preclinical testing and clinical performance measures for solutions and updated labeling to improve the safety of products and procedures used by the millions of Americans wearing contact lenses.

In its executive briefing, the FDA said, “Two outbreaks of infectious keratitis associated with Fusarium and Acanthamoeba have led FDA staff to re-assess the FDA’s current guidance recommendations for multipurpose contact lens care products. The purpose of this meeting is to seek panel input on modifications to the existing guidance that the FDA should consider in an effort to maximize patient safety.”

Among the issues being considered by the panel are the inclusion of testing silicone hydrogel materials as well as traditional hydrogel materials for their interaction with certain care products as well as labeling principles, instructions for use and care delivered to patients to improve compliance issues.

For more details about the hearing agenda, briefing info and draft questions, go to the Ophthalmic Devices Panel  on the FDA Web site.