Alcon and STAAR Surgical Announce Adjournment of STAAR Stockholders’ Special Meeting

10/23/2025 – 12:09 PM

GENEVA & LAKE FOREST, Calif. – Alcon (SIX/NYSE: ALC), a global leader in eye care, and STAAR Surgical Company (NASDAQ: STAA), known for its Implantable Collamer® Lens (ICL), jointly announced today the postponement of STAAR’s Special Meeting of Stockholders, originally scheduled for October 23, 2025. The meeting, related to STAAR’s proposed merger agreement with Alcon, will now convene on November 6, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. Pacific Time. No other matters will be addressed at the Special Meeting.

The record date for STAAR stockholders eligible to vote remains September 12, 2025.

This strategic move comes as both companies navigate the complexities of a significant merger. While the official statement does not specify the reasons for the delay, industry analysts suggest potential holdups might stem from ongoing regulatory reviews and due diligence processes. The integration of two major players in the ophthalmic space requires careful consideration of market overlap and potential anti-trust concerns.

The merger between Alcon and STAAR is poised to reshape the vision correction landscape. Alcon, with its diversified portfolio spanning surgical and vision care products, aims to strengthen its position in the refractive surgery market through STAAR’s ICL technology. The ICL, an alternative to LASIK, offers a unique value proposition by providing a vision correction solution without removing corneal tissue.

From a technological standpoint, the combination of Alcon’s already strong research and development capabilities with STAAR’s specialized expertise in biocompatible materials could lead to innovations in intraocular lens technology. This could translate to improved patient outcomes and a broader range of vision correction options in the future.

However, the road ahead is not without its challenges. Integrating STAAR’s operations into Alcon’s global infrastructure will require careful planning and execution. Furthermore, competition in the vision correction market is fierce, with other players vying for market share. The success of the merger will depend on Alcon’s ability to effectively leverage STAAR’s ICL technology and maintain its competitive edge.

Wall Street analysts are closely monitoring the progress of the merger, with many anticipating a positive impact on Alcon’s long-term growth prospects. However, investors should also be aware of the potential risks associated with the integration process. The delay in the Special Meeting highlights the complexities involved in such a large-scale transaction and underscores the need for careful scrutiny of the regulatory landscape.

Alcon, with over 75 years of experience, serves more than 260 million people annually across 140 countries. STAAR Surgical has sold over 3 million ICLs in over 75 countries, signifying the global reach and impact of both companies.

About Alcon

Alcon helps people see brilliantly. As the global leader in eye care with a heritage spanning over 75 years, we offer the broadest portfolio of products to enhance sight and improve people’s lives. Our Surgical and Vision Care products touch the lives of more than 260 million people in over 140 countries each year living with conditions like cataracts, glaucoma, retinal diseases and refractive errors. Our more than 25,000 associates are enhancing the quality of life through innovative products, partnerships with Eye Care Professionals and programs that advance access to quality eye care.

About STAAR Surgical

STAAR Surgical (NASDAQ: STAA) is the global leader in implantable phakic intraocular lenses, a vision correction solution that reduces or eliminates the need for glasses or contact lenses. Since 1982, STAAR has been dedicated solely to ophthalmic surgery, and for 30 years, STAAR has been designing, developing, manufacturing, and marketing advanced Implantable Collamer® Lenses (ICLs), using its proprietary biocompatible Collamer material. STAAR ICL’s are clinically-proven to deliver safe long-term vision correction without removing corneal tissue or the eye’s natural crystalline lens. Its EVO ICL™ product line provides visual freedom through a quick, minimally invasive procedure. STAAR has sold more than 3 million ICLs in over 75 countries.

Additional Information About the Merger and Where to Find It

This communication relates to the proposed transaction involving STAAR. In connection with the proposed transaction, STAAR has filed relevant materials with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including STAAR’s definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A (the “Proxy Statement”), on September 16, 2025. The Proxy Statement was first sent to STAAR stockholders on September 16, 2025. This communication is not a substitute for the Proxy Statement or any other document that STAAR may file with the SEC or send to its stockholders in connection with the proposed transaction. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING DECISION, STOCKHOLDERS OF STAAR ARE URGED TO READ ALL RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED OR TO BE FILED WITH THE SEC, INCLUDING THE PROXY STATEMENT, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO, IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain the documents (when available) free of charge at the SEC’s website, or by visiting STAAR’s investor relations website.

No Offer or Solicitation

This communication is for informational purposes only and is not intended to and does not constitute, or form part of, an offer, invitation or the solicitation of an offer or invitation to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of any securities, or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, pursuant to the proposed transaction or otherwise, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law.

Participants in the Solicitation

Under SEC rules, STAAR and certain of its directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the holders of STAAR’s common stock in connection with the proposed transaction. Information about the directors and executive officers of STAAR and their ownership of STAAR’s common stock is set forth in the Proxy Statement, the definitive proxy statement for STAAR’s 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Proxy Statement”), which was filed with the SEC on April 24, 2025, including the sections captioned “Compensation of Directors,” “Information Regarding Executive Officers” and “Security Ownership of Principal Shareholders and Management,” or its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 27, 2024, which was filed with the SEC on February 21, 2025, and in other documents filed by STAAR with the SEC. To the extent holdings of such participants in STAAR’s securities have changed since the amounts described in the Proxy Statement, such changes have been reflected on Initial Statements of Beneficial Ownership on Form 3 or Statements of Change in Ownership on Form 4 filed with the SEC by STAAR’s directors and executive officers. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above. Additional information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC in respect of the proposed transaction when they become available.

Forward-Looking Statements

The information covered by this communication contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements often contain words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “plan,” “estimate,” “project,” “continue,” “will,” “should,” “may,” and similar terms. All statements in this communication that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from what is expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to: (1) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Alcon merger agreement or could cause the consummation of the proposed transaction to be delayed or to fail to occur; (2) the failure to obtain approval of the proposed transaction from STAAR’s stockholders; (3) the failure to obtain certain required regulatory approvals or the failure to satisfy any of the other closing conditions to the completion of the proposed transaction within the expected timeframes or at all; (4) risks related to disruption of management’s attention from STAAR’s ongoing business operations due to the proposed transaction; (5) the effect of the announcement of the proposed transaction on the ability of STAAR to retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with its customers, suppliers and others with whom it does business, or on its operating results and business generally; (6) the ability of STAAR to meet expectations regarding the timing and completion of the transaction; (7) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against STAAR related to the proposed transaction; (8) the possibility that STAAR’s stock price may decline significantly if the proposed transaction is not consummated; and (9) other important factors set forth in the Proxy Statement under the caption “Risk Factors” and STAAR’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 27, 2024 under the caption “Risk Factors,” as any such factors may be updated from time to time in STAAR’s other filings with the SEC.

Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and, except as may be required under applicable law, STAAR undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.