Alcon to Acquire STAAR Surgical for $1.5 Billion

Alcon Inc. (ALC) entered a merger agreement on August 5, 2025, to acquire STAAR Surgical Company (STAA) in an all-cash deal valued at $1.5 billion.

Deal Structure:

Alcon will purchase all outstanding shares of STAAR common stock for $28 per share in cash, representing a 51.43% premium from the stock’s last close.

Company Profile:

STAAR Surgical is a global leader in implantable lenses for vision correction, offering innovative, tissue-preserving solutions like the EVO ICL to treat conditions such as myopia, astigmatism, and presbyopia.

Alcon is a global eye care company that develops, manufactures, and sells surgical and vision care products to treat conditions like cataracts, glaucoma, and refractive errors, helping millions of people see better in over 140 countries.

Deal Details and Timeline:

The acquisition includes the EVO ICL lenses, which are used to correct vision in people with moderate to severe nearsightedness, with or without astigmatism, a common condition where the eye’s surface is irregularly shaped, causing blurred or distorted vision.

“With the number of high myopes rising globally, the acquisition of STAAR enhances our ability to offer a leading surgical vision correction solution for those who are not ideal candidates for other refractive surgeries such as LASIK,” said David Endicott, CEO of Alcon.

The EVO ICL lenses are implantable lenses that correct various vision problems, including myopia. They are placed in the eye through a quick, minimally invasive procedure that doesn’t remove any corneal tissue and can be reversed if needed. The lenses are inserted between the iris (the colored part of the eye) and the eye’s natural lens.

Alcon plans to finance the deal using a mix of short-term and long-term loans.

The deal is anticipated to close in about six to 12 months and is expected to be accretive to earnings in the second year.

STAAR Surgical got financial advice from Citi and legal help from the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. Alcon received financial advice from Morgan Stanley and legal support from Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.

Deal Metrics:

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Deal Metrics for the acquisition of STAAR Surgical Company (STAA) by Alcon Inc. (ALC)

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Editor’s Note: Baranjot Kaur contributed to this article