Areas of Focus
Alcon's Research and Development laboratories are responsible for the discovery, development and clinical evaluation of surgical, pharmaceutical and consumer 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. We focus on developing new products to treat diseases and conditions in all key eye care categories: surgical, pharmaceutical and consumer vision care products. We also have targeted some of our development activities towards the otic and nasal areas where compounds used in the eye also have meaningful application.
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 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.
Learn more about cataracts and Alcon's treatments.
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.
Learn more about Alcon's refractive surgical systems and related conditions.
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 Accurus® system. Our technologies focus on reducing healing times through smaller incisions.
Learn more about Alcon's vitreoretinal surgical systems and related retinal disorders.
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 conducting clinical trials in wet age-related macular degeneration as well as trials to prevent the conversion from dry to wet AMD. RETAANE® is one of the compounds that is currently under study.
Learn more about macular degeneration.
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 to combine antihistamine and mast cell stabilizers in one solution, allowing Patanol® to act fast and provide long-lasting relief.
Learn more about eye allergies and Alcon's treatments.
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 frontline therapy, Vigamox®* Ophthalmic Suspension, prescribed for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis, commonly referred to as pink eye.
Learn more about eye infections and Alcon's treatments.
Eye Inflammation
Non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are most often used to treat inflammation. Our studies have resulted in Nevanac® ophthalmic suspension, which is used to reduce inflammation and pain after cataract surgery.
Learn more about eye inflammation and Alcon's treatments.
Glaucoma
We are proud of our accomplishments in the treatment of glaucoma and the release of TRAVATAN® Ophthalmic Suspension, our fourth generation therapy used to lower intraocular pressure and TRAVATAN Z® Ophthalmic Suspension, a new formulation that replaces benzalkonium chloride (BAK) with a preservative system that is gentle to the ocular surface.
Learn more about glaucoma and Alcon's treatments.
Consumer Vision Care
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.
Learn more about contact lens wear conditions and Alcon's contact lens care solutions.
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.
Learn more about dry eye and Alcon's treatments.
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, Inc. by Bayer HealthCare, AG.
