Areas of Focus
The Research and Development laboratories at Alcon are responsible for the discovery, development and clinical evaluation of surgical, pharmaceutical and vision care products and for providing ongoing scientific support for these products. Producing best-in-class therapies for many of the world's unmet eye health needs is at the core of Alcon's research and development mission. With one of the largest corporate research and development commitments in the eye care company worldwide, Alcon is currently developing products to treat glaucoma, retinal diseases, dry eye, infection, inflammation, allergy, cataract, vitreoretinal, glaucoma and refractive procedures, and ocular health issues. Additionally, the CIBA VISION research and development capability expands Alcon product development focus into contact lenses.
Surgery
Cataract
The current preferred treatment for cataracts is surgical removal of the clouded lens followed by insertion of an intraocular lens. Alcon researchers have not only developed new means of surgically removing the damaged lens but have advanced the quality and stability of intraocular lenses (IOLs), with the ACRYSOF® line of IOLs. These developments have resulted in improved surgical methods and procedures as well as in treatment options that transcend traditional results by also addressing secondary vision problems like astigmatism, presbyopia, and spherical aberration.
Refractive Errors in Vision
As a result of extensive research and development efforts, Alcon developed a refractive surgical system that allows for personalized treatment specific to an eye's individual optical characteristics. This also allows the surgeon the ability to detect and address higher-order aberrations otherwise untreated by traditional LASIK surgery.
Retinal Disorders
Alcon offers the most comprehensive vitreoretinal surgical products in the industry. Our R&D efforts resulted in the first surgical system to integrate all automated, non-laser surgical functions to provide maximum surgical control, the Constellation® system. Our technologies focus on reducing healing times through smaller incisions.
Pharmaceutical
Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
For the last fifteen years, Alcon R&D has focused its efforts on the treatment of one of the leading causes of blindness in the developed world – age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Alcon is currently developing compounds for the two different types of AMD, exudative and nonexudative.
Eye Allergy
Alcon became the leader in eye allergy treatments after releasing PATANOL® ophthalmic solution, also known in some countries as OPATANOL® ophthalmic solution, the first therapy with combined antihistamine and mast cell stabilizer action in one solution. Most recently released PATADAY™ ophthalmic solution, known in some countries as PATANOL® S solution, provides convenient once-a-day dosing.
Eye Infection
Our history and depth in the field of ocular infection is reflected in the most frequently prescribed anti-infective and anti-inflammatory combination drug on the market today, TOBRADEX® ophthalmic suspension, and in Alcon's therapy, VIGAMOX®* ophthalmic solution, prescribed for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis.
Eye Inflammation
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are most often used to treat inflammation. Our research led to the development of NEVANAC® ophthalmic suspension, which is used to reduce inflammation and pain after cataract surgery.
Glaucoma
We are proud of our accomplishments in the area of glaucoma with TRAVATAN® and TRAVATAN Z® ophthalmic solutions, which are used to lower intra-ocular pressure in patients with glaucoma.
Vision Care
Contact Lenses
With the integration of CIBA VISION into Alcon, the new Alcon vision care portfolio offers daily disposable and monthly replacement contact lenses that fit the way people live and make it easier for them to follow the schedule recommended by their eye care professional.
Contact Lens Care
Today's advanced contact lens care products cleanse and rehydrate contact lenses and remove contaminants such as bacteria and proteins from the surface of the lens. Alcon has invested research efforts for more than two decades to constantly improve upon the product line, OPTI-FREE®, that allows for longer lens wear with less irritation.
Dry Eye
Dry eye can be characterized by symptoms of ocular discomfort related to insufficient tear production. As a result of Alcon's R&D efforts, Alcon developed the line of SYSTANE® Lubricant Eye Drops. SYSTANE® is the first artificial tear to demostrate improvement in both the signs and symptoms of dry eye.
Ocular Nutrition
Alcon's ICAPS® Eye Vitamins include specialized formulas of antioxidant vitamins, minerals, and carotenoids which are important to vision and eye health. Various ICAPS® formulas contain vitamins with lutein and zeaxanthin, nutrients that occur naturally in the macula (the area of the eye where the incoming rays of light are focused) and which may help to protect the eye by reducing oxidative stress and absorbing damaging blue light.
* Licensed to Alcon by Bayer Shering Pharma AG.
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