The Centre for Health Protection has traced and recorded 23 cases of fungal corneal infection among local contact lens users, following reports of this kind found in Singapore and Hong Kong recently.

The cases comprise six men and 17 women aged 16 to 51. Twenty of them sought medical consultation from public hospitals and three received treatment in private hospitals from May last year to February this year. Of the 22 patients contacted, 21 claimed they were users of Bausch & Lomb ReNu multipurpose contact lens solution.

Preliminary results of sterility tests on 20 samples of ReNu by the Department of Health are negative.

The centre is maintaining close communication with other agencies for further findings and developments.

The department's hotline has so far received more than 2,000 public enquiries.