STAAR Surgical Celebrates Over a Quarter of a Million Visian ICL Implants at Upcoming ESCRS Congress

MONROVIA, Calif., Sept. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- STAAR Surgical Company (Nasdaq: STAA), a leading developer, manufacturer and marketer of minimally invasive ophthalmic products, today provided a preview of the activities scheduled prior to and during the 2011 Congress of European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) to be held in Vienna, Austria, September 17 through 21, 2011.  During the Congress, the Company will officially launch two key products –the Visian Implantable Collamer® Lens (ICL) with CentraFLOW™ technology which utilizes the KS-AquaPORT™ and the nanoFLEX™ IOL in Europe and other countries that accept CE Mark approvals.  

"We anticipate this will be the most exciting and productive ESCRS meeting in our history," said Hans Blickensdoerfer, President of Europe and Latin America for STAAR. "We will be celebrating the key milestone of over a quarter of a million successful Visian ICL implants at the same time we are introducing the new Visian ICL with CentraFLOW technology.  The Visian ICL is the fastest growing refractive technology in the world.  Our over fifteen-year successful history with the Visian ICL began in Europe and the technology has continued to evolve over that time.  Now, for the first time in our history, the Visian ICL can treat all LASIK eligible patients and more, while the procedure is as convenient for both the patient and surgeon, if not more so, than LASIK.  In other words, we are now on at least an equal playing level with LASIK and we believe with even better visual results for the patient."

Beginning Thursday, STAAR will hold its 8th Annual Visian ICL Experts Symposium prior to the official opening of the ESCRS Congress.  This is a "by invitation only" meeting of key Visian ICL users, and over 100 surgeons from 34 countries are expected to attend.  The symposium will consist of 24 clinical presentations by surgeons from 13 different countries and seven roundtable discussion sessions on the Visian ICL technology.  

The ESCRS Congress official program will begin on Saturday and include over 50 presentations in which the Visian ICL technology will be presented.  These presentations include: papers presented from the podium, electronic poster presentations, surgeon presentations in the STAAR exhibition booth, instructional courses and a lunch symposium for members.  On Monday, STAAR will host the ESCRS Lunch Symposium entitled, "Revolutions in Refractive Surgery."  This luncheon is expected to draw up to 400 surgeons and include six presentations by surgeons from six different countries sharing their experience with the Visian ICL technology, including the new Visian ICL with CentraFLOW technology.

The Visian ICL V4c, with STAAR's CentraFLOW proprietary technology, received CE Mark approval in April 2011. CentraFLOW eliminates the need for the surgeon to perform a YAG peripheral iridotomy procedure days before the ICL implant. The result is more comfort for the patient and a more convenient, efficient ICL experience for both the patient and the surgeon.  Since its approval, the Company has completed its prelaunch plan for the product, successfully implanting the Visian V4c at eight sites in Europe, Saudi Arabia and Argentina.

The Company will also launch its premium nanoFLEX Collamer Single Piece IOL in Europe and other countries that accept CE Mark approval at the Congress. The nanoFLEX IOL incorporates the Company's proprietary aspheric optic design, optimized for the natural curvature of the eye.  The Company also received CE Mark approval for this product in April 2011.  

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.  A lens used to replace the natural lens after cataract surgery is called an intraocular lens or "IOL."  A lens used in refractive surgery as an alternative to LASIK is called an Implantable Collamer® Lens or "ICL."  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 50 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.  

Safe Harbor

All statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including any statements about the effect of new product approvals on our business, statements about planned product launches, any statements of belief and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing.

These statements are based on expectations and assumptions as of the date of this press release and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties include the following: the effect of poor global economic conditions on sales, especially sales of products like the ICL used in non-reimbursed elective procedures; our limited resources to promote new products; the risk that product launches may be affected by unplanned delays or be less successful than we expect; the willingness of surgeons and patients to adopt a new product and procedure; the entrenched market position of laser-based procedures for many conditions treated by the Visian ICL; and patterns of Visian ICL use that have typically limited our penetration of the refractive surgery market. STAAR assumes no obligation to update its forward-looking statements to reflect future events or actual outcomes and does not intend to do so.

SOURCE STAAR Surgical Company