STAAR Surgical Appoints Samuel Gesten General Counsel and Secretary

MONROVIA, Calif., April 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- STAAR Surgical Company (Nasdaq: STAA), the leading developer, manufacturer and marketer of implantable refractive lenses for the eye, today announced that it has named Samuel J. Gesten (50) as Vice President, General Counsel, Corporate Compliance Officer and Secretary, effective immediately.  He replaces Charles Kaufman, who is leaving STAAR to pursue another professional opportunity.

Mr. Gesten joins STAAR from Allergan, where he worked for over two years, most recently serving as its Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Assistant Secretary and as a member of the Executive Committee.  Prior to that, he spent 11 years at Thermo Fisher Scientific in a variety of positions, including General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of the Laboratory Products Group and Vice President, Deputy General Counsel.

"Sam brings 25 years of broad legal experience in both the private and corporate sectors including regulatory, intellectual property and business development," said Barry G. Caldwell, President and CEO of STAAR Surgical. "His legal expertise, combined with executive experience in growing healthcare businesses, will be invaluable as STAAR continues to move forward on our expansion strategy.  Sam's enthusiasm and solutions-oriented approach will be important factors in helping us grow.  He will be very much involved in our plans to pursue tuck-in technologies which fit within our strategic focus."

"I am very exciting about joining STAAR at this point in their history given their success exhibited during the past several years," Mr.Gesten commented.  "The current STAAR technologies are very exciting and the plans for expanded organic growth combined with planned technology additions made the STAAR story even more compelling for me."

"I would also like to thank Charles for his 11 years of contributions to STAAR, as both an outside attorney and inside counsel," continued Mr. Caldwell.  "He has been a key part of STAAR's management team and we will miss him.  His contributions have helped position us as a strong growth company.  He has been a trusted colleague and good friend and will always be a part of the STAAR family.  Charles has agreed to assist during a transition period.  We wish all the best for him and his family as he begins his new endeavor."

Mr. Gesten was a contributor to the success of two large global health care companies.  Allergan, with its focus on innovative pharmaceuticals, biologics, medical devices and over-the-counter products, generates $5 billion in revenues and has a presence in over 100 countries.  Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO) is a $10 billion company providing services to the scientific community all over the world.  Prior to his work at TMO, Mr. Gesten spent 11 years practicing law.  He has a B.A. degree in economics from Brandeis University and a J.D. from Boston University.

About STAAR Surgical

STAAR, which has been dedicated solely to ophthalmic surgery for over 25 years, designs, develops, manufactures and markets implantable lenses for the eye.  All of these lenses are foldable, which permits the surgeon to insert them through a small incision.  STAAR's lens used in refractive surgery as an alternative to LASIK is called an Implantable Collamer® Lens or "ICL."  A lens used to replace the natural lens after cataract surgery is called an intraocular lens or "IOL."  Over 250,000 Visian ICLs have been implanted to date; to learn more about the ICL go to: www.visianinfo.com.  STAAR has approximately 300 full time employees and markets lenses in approximately 60 countries.  Headquartered in Monrovia, CA, it manufactures in the following locations: Nidau, Switzerland; Ichikawa City, Japan; Aliso Viejo, CA; and Monrovia, CA.  For more information, please visit the Company's website at www.staar.com or call 626-303-7902. 

Collamer® is the registered trademark for STAAR's proprietary biocompatible collagen copolymer lens material.

SOURCE STAAR Surgical Company