Frequently Asked Questions
For additional questions not included here, please see the comprehensive Frequently Asked Questions section or contact us.
The Alcon Foundation
Alcon Medical Education
Clinical Trials
- What clinical trials are currently underway?
- Where do I direct my patients who are interested in enrolling in a clinical trial?
- How do I become an investigator for a clinical trial?
Humanitarian Efforts
Alcon Reimbursement Services
- Who do I contact for reimbursement information on Alcon products?
- How do I properly code Alcon products?
Patient Needs
- How do I request patient assistance?
- Does Alcon provide condition and disease educational material for patients?
Product Contributions for Charitable Efforts
Products, General
- How do I request an Alcon sales representative to visit the office?
- How do I order product samples?
- When will products in development be available?
- How do I find product prescribing information?
- Where do I find product information?
- How do I find out information about a product recall?
- How do I find out if a product contains latex?
Service Calls
Solution & Device Storage
- We received BSS®/BSS PLUS® that was frozen during shipment. Is it okay to use when product is completely thawed?
- We received BSS®/BSS PLUS® that has some ice in the bottle. Don't know if it was fully frozen or not. Is it okay to use the product when fully thawed?
- Can I get a replacement BSS®/BSS PLUS® that was received frozen during shipment?
- What do I do with frozen BSS®/BSS PLUS®?
- What do I do with a broken bottle(s) due to the frozen product of BSS®/BSS PLUS®?
- What are the proper ways to store viscosurgical devices - VisCoat®, ProVisc®, DuoVisc® DisCoVisc®?
Surgical Equipment Exchanges
- Does Alcon repair any surgical handpieces?
- What Alcon surgical handpieces can be exchanged?
- Are I & A handpieces exchangeable?
The Alcon Foundation
- How do I apply for grant assistance?
- Please visit The Alcon Foundation for more information how to apply for grant assistance.
Alcon Medical Education
- How do I find out information on Alcon's medical education programs?
- Please visit www.alconmeded.com for information on all medical education related activities.
Clinical Trials
- What clinical trials are currently underway?
- A list of current clinical trials can be found at Trials in Recruitment.
- Where do I direct my patients who are interested in enrolling in a clinical trial?
- Direct your patients to the clinical trial of interest in the Trials in Recruitment section. They can also contact us for trial information and locations worldwide.
- How do I become an investigator for a clinical trial?
- If you are interested in participating in a clinical trial as an investigator, please contact us with your requests.
Humanitarian Efforts
- How do I find out information about Alcon's medical mission and humanitarian programs?
- Please visit Corporate Responsibility for information on Alcon's medical mission programs and many humanitarian efforts.
Alcon Reimbursement Services
- Who do I contact for reimbursement information on Alcon products?
- Please visit Alcon Reimbursement Services for Alcon product reimbursement information or contact Alcon's Reimbursement Services with your questions. efforts.
- How do I properly code Alcon products?
- Please visit Alcon Reimbursement Services for coding and reimbursement information on Alcon products.
Patient Needs
- How do I request patient assistance?
- The Alcon U.S. Patient Assistance Program provides assistance to patients who cannot afford the drugs they need. For more information on guidelines and the process for requesting assistance for a patient or facility, please see Patient Assistance.
- Does Alcon provide condition and disease educational material for patients?
- For information on conditions and diseases appropriate for patients and family members, please see Patient Education.
Product Contributions for Charitable Efforts
Products, General
- How do I request an Alcon sales representative to visit the office?
- Please contact us with your location (city, state/province) and product/area of interest.
- How do I order product samples?
- Please contact your Alcon rep to determine availability of sampling for your particular product of interest. If you need contact information for your representative, please contact us with your location (city, state/province) and product/area of interest.
- When will products in development be available?
- To determine approximate timeframes for approval of a product currently in development at Alcon, please see Alcon's short-term pipeline. As a public and regulated company, Alcon is not permitted to provide information beyond this.
- How do I find product prescribing information?
- Please visit Products to access product inserts, directions for use and other product-related information. If the product you are inquiring about is not listed here, please contact us.
- Where do I find product information?
- Please visit Products to access product inserts, directions for use and other product related information. If the product you are inquiring about is not listed here, please contact us.
- How do I find out information about a product recall?
- Typically large product recalls will be announced via an Alcon press release. If you believe a product you own may have been recalled, or have questions about a recall, please contact us.
- How do I find out if a product contains latex?
- Please contact us with the product name and item number.
Service Calls
- How do I schedule a service call?
- For technical service outside the United States, contact your local Alcon office.
Cataract and Vitreoretinal instrumentation and accessories located within the United States, contact Alcon Surgical Technical Services at 1-800-832-7827 or 949-753-1393, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday.
Alcon Refractive Technical Services for equipment located within the United States can be scheduled by calling 1-877-LADARVISION or 407-384-1600, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday.
Solution & Device Storage
- We received BSS®/BSS PLUS® that was frozen during shipment. Is it okay to use when product is completely thawed?
- The approved product labeling states "DO NOT FREEZE". We do not support using BSS®/BSS PLUS® intraocular irrigating solution that has been frozen and then thawed.
- We received BSS®/BSS PLUS® that has some ice in the bottle. Don't know if it was fully frozen or not. Is it okay to use the product when fully thawed?
- We do not support the use of BSS®/BSS PLUS® if it appears that it was fully frozen or thawed.
- Can I get a replacement BSS®/BSS PLUS® that was received frozen during shipment?
- Yes, a Surgical Customer Service Representative can assist with your replacement. (800.862.5266)
- What do I do with frozen BSS®/BSS PLUS®?
- Frozen BSS®/BSS PLUS® should be returned to Alcon.
- What do I do with a broken bottle(s) due to the frozen product of BSS®/BSS PLUS®?
- A Surgical Customer Representative can assist you with a credit to your account. (800.862.5266)
- What are the proper ways to store viscosurgical devices - VisCoat®, ProVisc®, DuoVisc® DisCoVisc®?
Proper Storage for Viscosurgical Devices Product Temperature Conditions Stable for Duration of VisCoat® 77° F (25° C, room)
95° F (35° C, elevated)
113° F (45° C, elevated)Up to 1 week
Up to 3 days
Up to 12 hoursProVisc® 77° F (25° C, room)
95° F (35° C, elevated)
113° F (45° C, elevated)Up to 4 weeks
Up to 1 week
Up to 48 hoursDuoVisc® 77° F (25° C, room)
95° F (35° C, elevated)
113° F (45° C, elevated)DuoVisc® consists of one syringe each of VISCOAT® and ProVisc®. Please follow the guidelines for VISCOAT® and ProVisc®. DisCoVisc® 77° F (25° C, room)
95° F (35° C, elevated)
113° F (45° C, elevated)Up to 1 week
Up to 3 days
Up to 12 hours
Surgical Equipment Exchanges
- Does Alcon repair any surgical handpieces?
- No, Alcon only repairs Grieshaber® handpeices. To discuss your needed Grieshaber® handpiece repair, contact us.
- What Alcon surgical handpieces can be exchanged?
- The following handpieces can be exchanged:
Legacy® Surgical System
- Turbosonics® 375
- Neosonix® Handpiece (8065740968)
- MacKool* Handpiece (8065-M002-01)
- Neosonix® Handpiece (8065750120)
- Ultrasonic Handpiece (8065750121)
- Aqualase® Handpiece (8065750193)
- Turbosonics® 375
- MacKool* Handpiece (8065-M002-01)
- Fragmentation Handpiece (8065740242) .
- High Performance (HP) Fragmatome™ Handpiece (590-3200-501) -- STTO - Ocutome®.
- Ultrasonic Handpiece (590-2000-501) -- Master.
- The following handpieces can be exchanged:
- Are I & A handpieces exchangeable?
- No, the codes 8065817701 (I/A Handpiece, Threaded STTM) and the 8065817801 (I/A handpiece, Threaded STTL) cannot be exchanged. * MacKool is a trademark of Dr. Richard Mackool