MONROVIA, Calif., April 27 /PRNewswire/ -- STAAR Surgical Company (Nasdaq: STAA) will begin to market STAARVISC(TM) II, sodium hyaluronate viscoelastic. STAARVISC II is a clear, viscous substance used to protect delicate tissues inside the eye during cataract procedures and other ophthalmic anterior and posterior procedures. STAAR licensed the right to sell STAARVISC II from Anika Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: ANIK) of Woburn, Massachusetts who manufactures the product. Anika Therapeutics has announced that it received Pre-Market Approval (PMA) for STAARVISC II from the United States Food and Drug Administration.

According to David Bailey, president and chairman of STAAR Surgical Company, "STAARVISC II helps round out our existing cataract line including the intraocular lenses (IOLs), STAARPacks and the SonicWAVE(TM) Phacoemulsification system. The addition of STAARVISC II allows the Company to offer a complete product package for the cataract procedure. Referred to as procedural marketing in the industry, we now have a distinct opportunity to create a package contract at a single price for facilities that want all of their ophthalmic surgical devices through one vendor."

Viscoelastic substances are routinely used in cataract surgery and other surgical anterior segment procedures. The main reason for the use of viscoelastics is to prevent endothelial damage. The viscoelastic coats both the lens and the endothelium, essentially acting as a cushion between the two. In addition, the solution props the tissue to maintain the anterior chamber of the eye during the cataract procedure.

STAARVISC II is a cohesive viscoelastic substance providing important properties and functions to procedures including excellent clarity, ability to prop tissue versus moving tissue, anterior chamber maintenance, easy IOL positioning, and easy removal from the eye. STAARVISC II is indicated for use as a surgical aid in ophthalmic anterior and posterior segment procedures including cataract, corneal transplant, glaucoma filtering, and retinal reattachment.

Founded in 1982, STAAR Surgical Company develops, manufactures and globally distributes minimally invasive medical devices for use in refractive, cataract and glaucoma surgery. The Company's principal product line includes foldable intraocular lenses, which are used as replacements for the natural lens in cataract procedures. STAAR also markets two products internationally: an Implantable Contact Lens(TM), which is a refractive lens for the treatment of nearsightedness and farsightedness and the AquaFlow(TM) collagen glaucoma drainage device. STAAR's products are distributed throughout European Union and in other parts of the world under CE mark with the exception of the Toric ICL(TM) and the 3-piece Collamer(TM) IOL.

For additional information, about STAAR Surgical, visit the Company's web site at http://www.STAAR.com or www.irbyctc.com . You may wish to contact David Bailey, President, STAAR Surgical, or John Santos, Chief Financial Officer, STAAR Surgical, at (626) 303-7902. To contact Bill Roberts, President, CTC, Inc., or Ellen Geron, CTC Inc., please call (937) 434-2700.

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SOURCE STAAR Surgical Company

CONTACT: David Bailey, President, or John Santos, Chief Financial Officer of STAAR Surgical, 626-303-7902; or Bill Roberts, President, or Ellen Geron, of CTC Inc., 937-434-2700/