VAUGHAN, Ontario / Jun 10, 2024 / Business Wire / Bausch + Lomb Corporation (NYSE/TSX: BLCO), a leading global eye health company dedicated to helping people see better to live better, today announced the U.S. introduction of Bausch + Lomb INFUSE for Astigmatism daily disposable contact lenses. Engineered with a next-generation lens material infused with ProBalance Technology™ and the company’s proprietary OpticAlign^® design, INFUSE for Astigmatism provides astigmatic patients clear, stable vision, all-day comfort and minimizes contact lens dryness. The company expects to start shipping INFUSE for Astigmatism fitting sets to eye care professionals in July 2024.

“More than half of toric lens wearers with astigmatism experience contact lens dryness and many also report blurred vision. These symptoms are only exacerbated with modern-day lifestyles, which include prolonged digital device use,”¹ said Yang Yang, president, Global Vision Care, Bausch + Lomb. “Our INFUSE for Astigmatism lenses, which were developed in-house by our R&D team, are designed to directly address these challenges, including the causes of toric lens rotation. They provide excellent clarity, optimal stability and can be worn comfortably all day.”

Consistent with the entire INFUSE family of lenses, INFUSE for Astigmatism features a blend of osmoprotectants, electrolytes and moisturizers, essential comfort and eye health ingredients that are released throughout the 16-hour wearing experience.¹ The lens material (kalifilcon A) combines the highest overall moisture (55%) and high breathability (107 Dk/t) with a low modulus for excellent comfort.^2,3

INFUSE for Astigmatism is uniquely designed to provide consistently clear vision across the entire power range and help reduce spherical aberration and halos and glare, even in low-light conditions. Engineered with a thin-edge design to minimize lid interaction and a stabilization feature in the lower hemisphere, the cutting-edge OpticAlign design stabilizes with the eye’s natural blink.

According to a recent study, 95% of INFUSE for Astigmatism lenses settled within 10 degrees within 30 seconds. In addition, 97% of INFUSE for Astigmatism lenses had less than three degrees of rotation with blink and a mean comfort score of nearly 90%. INFUSE for Astigmatism offers the most in-office parameters and is the only daily disposable toric with -2.25 and -2.75 cylinders available in a fit set.⁴

"As patient lifestyles become increasingly more dynamic, it's essential their lenses provide a high level of moisture retention and stability, particularly for those with astigmatism. INFUSE for Astigmatism will deliver on these needs and provide comprehensive in-office parameters that make it possible to fit patients during their scheduled appointment,” said Mark Schaeffer, OD, FAAO, and clinical excellence captain, MyEyeDr, Birmingham, Ala. “With this addition to the INFUSE family of lenses – based on the latest ocular surface research – practitioners can be confident that they have an INFUSE lens to meet the majority of their patients’ vision and eye health needs.”

Eye care practitioners and contact lens wearers can use Bausch + Lomb’s ONE by ONE recycling program to properly recycle their used contact lens materials, including INFUSE for Astigmatism contact lenses, blister packs and top foils. For more information on the ONE by ONE Recycling program visit www.bauschrecycles.com.

About Astigmatism

Astigmatism is a common condition that affects approximately one in three people and occurs when the cornea or lens has a different shape than normal, causing blurry or distorted vision.^5,6 It can affect vision of both near and far objects, as well as cause difficulty seeing at night, and coexist with myopia or hyperopia. Astigmatism can be confirmed during a comprehensive eye exam and treated with the use of contact lenses, prescription eyeglasses and/or laser or other surgical procedures.⁶

About the ONE by ONE Recycling Program

The Bausch + Lomb ONE by ONE Recycling program is the first and only contact lens recycling program in the United States. This program collects used contact lenses, top foils and opened plastic blister packs from any brand and is available to contact lens wearers and eye care professionals. To participate, contact lens wearers can bring their used contact lenses and packaging to an official recycling eye care practice, which collects the used materials in a custom recycling bin provided by Bausch + Lomb. Once the bin is filled, the eye care practice ships the materials using a Bausch + Lomb pre-paid shipping label to TerraCycle^® where lenses are cleaned and melted into hard plastic pellets that can be used to make new recycled products. To learn more about the Bausch + Lomb ONE by ONE Recycling program, visit www.bauschrecycles.com.

About Bausch + Lomb

Bausch + Lomb is dedicated to protecting and enhancing the gift of sight for millions of people around the world – from birth through every phase of life. Its comprehensive portfolio of approximately 400 products includes contact lenses, lens care products, eye care products, ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter products and ophthalmic surgical devices and instruments. Founded in 1853, Bausch + Lomb has a significant global research and development, manufacturing and commercial footprint with approximately 13,000 employees and a presence in nearly 100 countries. Bausch + Lomb is headquartered in Vaughan, Ontario with corporate offices in Bridgewater, New Jersey. For more information, visit www.bausch.com and connect with us on X, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

Forward-looking Statements

This news release may contain forward-looking statements, which may generally be identified by the use of the words “anticipates,” “hopes,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “will,” “may,” “believes,” “estimates,” “potential,” “target,” or “continue” and variations or similar expressions. These statements are based upon the current expectations and beliefs of management and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risks and uncertainties discussed in Bausch + Lomb’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Canadian Securities Administrators, which factors are incorporated herein by reference. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. Bausch + Lomb undertakes no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news release or to reflect actual outcomes, unless required by law.

References

1. Analysis of worn lenses demonstrated poloxamer 181, erythritol, potassium, and glycerin were retained for 16 hours.
2. Oxygen transmissibility at -3.00 diameter.
3. Unlike INFUSE® for Astigmatism, ACUVUE OASYS 1-Day for ASTIGMATISM, MyDay toric, and 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST for ASTIGMATISM, which are non-surface-treated daily disposables, PRECISION1 for Astigmatism and DAILIES TOTAL1 for Astigmatism are daily disposables with an integrated surface coating.
4. Compared to ACUVUE OASYS 1-Day for ASTIGMATISM, DAILIES TOTAL1 for Astigmatism, and MyDay toric.
5. National Eye Institute: Astigmatism: At a Glance. Accessed May 13, 2024. https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/astigmatism.
6. Cleveland Clinic: Astigmatism. Accessed May 13, 2024. Click here to access the source.

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