STAAR, which has been dedicated solely to ophthalmic surgery for over 40 years, designs, develops, manufactures and markets implantable lenses for the eye.
SharpeVision, Seattle-Bellevue, WA. (Credit: Business Wire)
STAAR Surgical Company (NASDAQ: STAA), a leading developer, manufacturer and marketer of the EVO family of Implantable Collamer® Lenses (EVO ICL™) for myopia, astigmatism and presbyopia, and SharpeVision, a premier ophthalmology group with clinics in Seattle, Chicago and Austin, today announced a strategic agreement to provide EVO ICL lenses as a first choice for patients seeking visual freedom from contact lenses and glasses.
STAAR Surgical and SharpeVision will collaborate on marketing and education activities to elevate awareness of EVO ICL and significantly increase availability of the lenses to all qualified patients in SharpeVision clinics. STAAR Surgical will also provide additional practice development and clinical support. The initial stage of the collaboration includes a target purchase amount of 1,000 ICL units annually, which represents approximately 25% of the group’s refractive procedure volume.
“We are pleased to announce SharpeVision as a new partner under our U.S. Highway 93 go-to-market program initiated in October 2023. Dr. Sharpe is a leading refractive surgeon known for his LASIK clinics who sees the advantage of EVO ICL over laser-based vision correction for his patients and practice alike,” said Tom Frinzi, President and CEO of STAAR Surgical. “Our collaboration will further increase awareness of the patient and practice benefits of EVO ICL, which provides exceptional vision day and night and does not cause dry eye syndrome.”1,2,3
The EVO ICL lens can permanently correct vision without removing corneal tissue and, if desired, is removable by a doctor for added peace of mind. The lens gives the patient flexibility for the future, while also helping to eliminate the hassles of glasses and contact lenses now.
“As surgeons like me get more time and experience with any technology, our level of comfort and proficiency grows,” shared Matthew Sharpe, MD, founder and surgeon, SharpeVision. “Given the outstanding outcomes, EVO ICL is now my first recommendation for patients seeking refractive vision correction. The EVO procedure solves many of the limitations we see in LASIK and PRK laser vision correction surgery including postoperative ocular surface dryness and corneal weakening/ectasia. I have implanted the EVO ICL lenses in more than 600 eyes over the past two years including those of my own son. My son still talks about the freedom of life without glasses or contact lenses and the superb quality of his new vision.”
Warren Foust, Chief Operating Officer of STAAR Surgical stated, “EVO ICL has demonstrated proven clinical benefits for patients in the U.S. with refractive error -3.0 diopters and above. As U.S. surgeons continue to move down the diopter curve, we believe that for patients -6.0 diopters and above, EVO ICL will increasingly become their preferred choice. We are proud to partner with SharpeVision as they make EVO ICL available to more patients.”
Source: Company Press Release