STAAR Surgical Launches Second Phase of Visian ICL Direct-to-Consumer Advertising Campaign

MONROVIA, Calif., March 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- STAAR Surgical Company (Nasdaq: STAA), a leading developer, manufacturer and marketer of minimally invasive ophthalmic products, today announced the launch of phase two of its direct-to-consumer advertising campaign. Phase two has three planned components with the use of five new commercials focused on the benefits of the Visian ICL over contact lenses and glasses.  The three media forums in which these new commercials will be aired include movie theaters, cable television and network television.

Beginning Friday, March 18, 2011 the new Visian ICL commercials will be shown in movie theaters in three major markets – Century City, CA; Phoenix, AZ and Houston, TX.  One of the five new commercials will be shown before the movie starts in these multiscreen theaters.  There will also be in-lobby promotions highlighting the characters in the commercials along with consumer brochures highlighting how to get additional information on the Visian ICL.  STAAR will be partnering with key Visian ICL surgeons in each market who will be offering a $1,000 discount on Visian ICL procedures booked through this process.

In the Santa Barbara area Dr. Paul Dougherty will be airing the Visian ICL commercials on cable television.  Dr. Dougherty is a leading refractive surgeon in the Los Angeles area and one of the leading ICL surgeons in the U.S.  He has made the Visian ICL a very important component of his refractive offerings and will offer the technology to all clinically eligible patients.  The campaign on cable television will start in April and run for four months.

"We are excited about the launch of the second phase of our direct-to-consumer ad campaign and believe it will generate increased awareness and interest in the Visian ICL," said Barry G. Caldwell, President and CEO of STAAR Surgical.  "Initial customer feedback from the first phase of the campaign was very positive, and we learned better the messages that resonated best with our surgeons and potential patients.  We expect to learn even more during this second phase by further testing and fine tuning our message to consumers as we intend to expand in a very prudent way into additional key markets."  

These new commercials focus on the benefits of the Visian ICL over glasses or contact lenses.  Similar to the ads that appeared on various internet sites during phase one, they are humorous and feature an actor playing the role of "Visian ICL" speaking with another actor playing "glasses" or "contact lenses."  Through their dialogue, the benefits of Visian ICL technology are highlighted.  The movie theater campaign will direct consumers to a new website: www.SeeGreatNow.com.  They will register on this site and will be directed to the leading ICL surgeons participating in the promotion.  They will also be able to print a coupon from the site which will give them the $1,000 discount on the Visian ICL procedure.  This process will allow for commercial and city specific analysis of the investment.  All five new commercials can also be viewed on this site.

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 200,000 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.  

Safe Harbor

All statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including statements about any benefit to be obtained from direct-to-consumer advertising or any other plans, strategies, and objectives of management for future operations or prospects for achieving such plans; 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: our limited capital resources and limited access to financing; the negative effect of the global recession on sales of products, especially products such as the ICL used in non-reimbursed elective procedures; the challenge of managing our foreign subsidiaries; the risk of unfavorable changes in currency exchange rates; the broad discretion of regulators in approving medical devices in our major markets; uncertainty as to the effectiveness of newly initiated direct to consumer advertising campaigns, the willingness of surgeons and patients to adopt a new product and procedure; patterns of Visian ICL use that have typically limited our penetration of the refractive surgery market, and a general decline in the demand for refractive surgery, which STAAR believes has resulted both from concerns about the safety and effectiveness of laser procedures and from general economic conditions.

SOURCE STAAR Surgical Company