Eye care

Alcon is a global leader in eye care with an extensive breadth of product offerings in surgical, pharmaceutical and vision care, serving the full life cycle of patient needs across eye diseases, vision conditions and refractive errors.

Alcon products and technologies address growing clinical problems in the following areas:

• Cataracts
• Glaucoma
• Retinal diseases
• Refractive errors
• Ocular allergies
• Dry eye
• Infection and inflammation

Alcon plans to invest approximately USD 5 billion in R&D over the next five years to drive research and new product development representing the largest corporate commitment to R&D in the eye care industry. With the merger into Novartis, Alcon has gained access to additional research capabilities and resources, including the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, as well as the R&D pipeline of CIBA Vision.

Research capacity

Three research groups at Alcon - Consumer Vision Care, Ophthalmology Discovery and Surgical Products Research - focus on the discovery and identification of potential new eye care therapies and treatments. Alcon has the ability to screen a vast number of compounds and review a wide array of therapeutic surgical designs and related instruments each year.

Alcon relies heavily on its development organization and relationships with clinicians around the world to conduct large-scale clinical trials. Working closely with clinical groups, our regulatory affairs and marketing staff work to ensure that development efforts meet the needs of doctors and their patients as well as those of regulatory bodies worldwide.

Catatacts: one of the leading causes of blindness

Cataracts, the clouding of the eye's lens, are one of the leading causes of blindness in the world today, with more than 25 million people affected each year. However, significant loss of vision is often preventable and even restorable as advances in cataract surgery have allowed for predictable and excellent results. Millions of people undergo this vision-improving procedure every year and many emerge with their vision restored. Millions more patients lose their sight due to lack of proper treatment. Alcon is committed to the global treatment of cataracts, working through humanitarian efforts, education on a local level and product support to expand access.

The Alcon difference

Alcon is working to advance every aspect of cataract treatment from surgical systems and implantable intraocular lenses to prescription medications for cataract patients.

Alcon leads the way when it comes to artificial lens technology. One line of Alcon lenses can address other visual disturbances such as presbyopia, astigmatism and spherical aberration as well as correct cataracts. These lenses are the most frequently implanted in the world as physicians appreciate their long-term clinical results.

Alcon has produced the world's first tri-modal cataract removal surgical instrument allowing surgeons to choose the optimal method of removal for each individual patient, improving patient safety.