STAAR Surgical's Visian ICL Procedure Performed Live on NBC's Today show

STAAR Surgical's Visian ICL Procedure Performed Live on NBC's Today show

MONROVIA, Calif., March 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- STAAR Surgical Company (NASDAQ:STAA) , a leading developer, manufacturer and marketer of minimally invasive ophthalmic products, congratulates Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler on his live surgical procedure on NBC's Today Show this morning correcting NBCSports.com columnist Alan Abrahamson's vision with STAAR's Visian ICL lenses.

The Visian ICL is the only foldable, minimally invasive lens approved in the U.S. for the correction of myopia, or nearsightedness, in adults. It can be especially useful in patients such as Abrahamson, who had a high prescription requirement to correct his nearsighted vision. The Visian ICL is approved for myopic patients as low as -3.0 diopters and delivers exceptional clarity and quality of vision.

During the brief procedure, which commonly takes 15 to 20 minutes per eye, Dr. Boxer Wachler made a micro incision to allow positioning of the implant behind the iris and in front of the natural lens. Both eyes were corrected during the show and Abrahamson was asked about any pain during the procedure by Meredith Vieira, co-anchor of the Today Show, to which he responded, "I cannot feel a thing." Before the procedure Abrahamson was unable to see the largest letter on the standard vision chart. Post-operatively, he said he could see "crisply and cleanly." He showed significant improvement instantaneously.

   The Today Show segments can be viewed at:   http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/23463382#23463382   

The implantable Collamer lens has been successfully implanted in over 80,000 eyes worldwide. In an FDA clinical trial, over 99 percent of patients were satisfied with their implant. The Visian ICL has a track record of stable, consistently excellent clinical outcomes. Data from research shows that the Visian ICL has some advantages over refractive surgical procedures such as PRK and LASIK, and has a lower chance of inducing higher order aberrations compared to LASIK. To learn more about the Visian ICL or to locate a certified surgeon in your area you can go to STAAR's consumer website: http://www.staar.com/html/visian-icl.html

About the VISIAN ICL

Made of a highly biocompatible Collamer(R) material containing a small amount of collagen, the Visian ICL's unique lens design allows for a minimally invasive procedure and an aesthetically pleasing outcome, because the lens is placed behind the iris. Unlike laser vision procedures the Visian ICL corrects vision without permanently altering the structure of the eye and can be removed if needed.

Doctors familiar with the technology have noted the ICL's stability, the safety of the procedure, superior clinical outcomes and high patient satisfaction rate. The Visian ICL is a refractive phakic implant intended for placement in the posterior chamber of the eye. The approved models are indicated for the correction of myopia in adults with myopia ranging from -3.0 to less than or equal to -15.0 diopters, with astigmatism less than or equal to 2.5 diopters at the spectacle plane, and the reduction of myopia in adults with myopia ranging from greater than -15.0 to -20.0 diopters with astigmatism less than or equal to 2.5 diopters at the spectacle plane, in patients 21 to 45 years of age with anterior chamber depth (ACD) 3.00 mm or greater, and a stable refractive history within 0.5 diopters for one year prior to implantation.

About STAAR Surgical

STAAR is a leader in the development, manufacture and marketing of minimally invasive ophthalmic products employing proprietary technologies. STAAR's products are used by ophthalmic surgeons and include the Visian ICL, a tiny, flexible lens implanted to correct refractive errors, as well as innovative products designed to improve patient outcomes for cataracts and glaucoma. The ICL is approved by the FDA for use in treating myopia, has received CE Marking and is sold in more than 40 countries. More information is available at http://www.staar.com/.

   CONTACT:  Investors             EVC Group             Douglas Sherk, 415-896-6820             Matthew Selinger, 415-896-6817              Media             EVC Group             Steve DiMattia, 646-277-8706             Christopher Gale, 646-201-5431  

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Source: STAAR Surgical Company

CONTACT: Investors, Douglas Sherk, +1-415-896-6820, or Matthew Selinger,
+1-415-896-6817, or Media, Steve DiMattia, +1-646-277-8706, or Christopher
Gale, +1-646-201-5431, all of EVC Group for STAAR Surgical Company

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