STAAR Surgical ICLs top 200,000

Monrovia, CA-STAAR Surgical said that more than 200,000 of its implantable contact lenses (Visian Implantable Collamer Lens) have been implanted in patients worldwide.

Since 1994, the lenses have been used in refractive surgery as an alternative to LASIK for the permanent correction of myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism.

“During 2010, . . . sales [of the lens] increased by 15%, while the LASIK segment continues to be challenged,” said Barry G. Caldwell, president and chief executive officer of STAAR Surgical.

“The overall safety and patient satisfaction data [are] very encouraging and differentiate the . . . product line from other refractive surgical options,” he said, adding that more than 14,000 of the lenses implanted over the past 17 years have been in eyes for more than 10 years.

In the second half of 2010, the company began shipping the new expanded version of the lens in countries that accept CE mark certification, Caldwell said.

“During 2011, it is important that we continue to make progress toward regulatory approval for the [toric version of the lens] in the United States and Japan,” he continued. “The market in Japan offers a very large opportunity for the ICL technology, particularly given the high percentage of the population who experience myopia and astigmatism. With the Japan market for the ICL available the entire year, we expect our growth rates in 2011 to exceed our level in 2010.”