The Demand For Cataract Surgery Is Expected To Increase

    BREAKTHROUGH TREATMENT OPTIONS ARE NOW AVAILABLE, ALTHOUGH PUBLIC AND
    PRIVATE SECTORS FACE CHALLENGES IN THE COMING YEARS, SAY LEADING
    OPHTHALMOLOGISTS

    MONTREAL, May 22 /CNW/ - In anticipation of the increased demand from
baby boomers over the next 10 to 15 years for cataract treatment, a panel of
leading ophthalmologists met today at a public roundtable at St. Mary's
Hospital Center to discuss the latest surgical options and how the demand will
impact patients seeking treatment at private and public clinics.
    "One of the very first ocular implant surgery for cataracts in Canada was
performed in 1969 at St. Mary's Hospital Center by the late Dr. Marvin Kwitko.
Founded in 1934, the Ophthalmology Centre was recently renovated into a
state-of-the-art facility and designated by the Ministry of Health and Social
Services as a designated cataract surgery site. Over the past five years,
nearly 22,000 patients were operated for their cataracts at our institution,"
said Dr. Marino Discepola, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at McGill
University in Montréal. "The waiting time for patients has been reduced
considerably and patients now wait on average one to three months to receive
cataract surgery. However, I do anticipate the demand for treatment to
continue to increase as the population ages and surgical innovations like
AcrySof(R) ReSTOR(R) Aspheric Intraocular Lens (IOL) offer patients improved
outcomes."
    The roundtable was sponsored by Alcon Canada, the makers of AcrySof(R)
ReSTOR(R) Aspheric Intraocular Lens (IOL), a unique technological innovation
that enables quality vision throughout the entire visual spectrum with reduced
dependence on reading glasses or bifocals. In using a technology similar to
that utilized in telescopes and microscopes to provide enhanced image quality,
this IOL gives cataract surgery patients a full range of vision, distance,
intermediate and near. This new generation of multifocal implants also
provides greater contrast sensitivity and sharper vision, particularly at
night.
    A cataract is a painless, cloudy area in the lens of the eye that blocks
the passage of light to the retina and is caused mainly by aging and extreme
exposure to sunlight. It is also the leading cause of blindness in the world
and of vision loss in Québec(1). According to a national survey commissioned
by Alcon, Inc. (NYSE:ACL), the world's largest eye care company, the majority
of Québec residents (54 percent) are unaware that they will likely develop
age-related cataracts placing them at risk of blindness. And, while many
Québec residents surveyed know someone who suffers from cataracts (49 percent)
- a majority (60 percent) say they are not personally concerned about
developing cataracts. Yet, according to the Canadian Ophthalmological Society,
virtually everyone will eventually get age-related cataracts.
    The good news is that nine out of ten Québec respondents recognize there
is treatment available. Although cataracts can be surgically corrected, what
people may not know, is that newer medical technologies are now available for
patients who not only want their vision restored, but also want complete
freedom from glasses.
    "The arrival on the market of a presbyopia-correcting lens implant means
that cataract patients can regain visual quality that has been lost over time,
as well as increase their independence from glasses, which was impossible with
conventional implants," said Dr. Darren Albert, Assistant Professor of
Ophthalmology at McGill University in Montréal. "The satisfaction rate among
patients with ReSTOR(R) Aspheric is over 95 per cent and the personal accounts
of patients are revealing. This type of implant can suit all patients,
provided there is not too much astigmatism or other eye-related diseases."
    Cataracts affect nearly half of individuals age 65 to 74 and about 70 per
cent of those older, according to a 2006 Health Issues Around the World study.
In Canada, the baby boomer population, made up of individuals born between
1946 and 1965, accounts for close to one-third of the country's 32 million
people. According to the Association des médecins ophtalmologistes du Québec,
there were 71,107 cataract surgeries in Québec in 2007.

    About AcrySof(R) ReSTOR(R) Aspheric Intraocular Lens (IOL)

    The AcrySof(R) ReSTOR(R) Aspheric Intraocular Lens (IOL)) features a
unique, proprietary apodized diffractive optic design that provides the
ability to focus images from various distances correctly on the retina without
mechanical movement of the lens. This optic design results in an increased
range of quality vision that delivers a high level of spectacle freedom.
Apodization improves image quality by optimizing light energy delivered to the
retina by distributing the appropriate amounts of light to near and distant
focal points, regardless of lighting situation. This new IOL is particularly
well-suited for patients who wish to reduce their dependency on reading
glasses and bifocals once their cataractous lens is removed.
    The AcrySof(R) ReSTOR(R) Aspheric Intraocular Lens (IOL) is based on the
AcrySof(R) single-piece design and material platform. AcrySof(R) lenses are
the fastest growing and most frequently implanted lenses in the world, with
more than 35 million implants since its introduction in 1991.

    About Alcon

    Alcon is the world's leading eye care company and has been improving eye
health and vision for more than 60 years. Alcon has the broadest offering of
pharmaceutical, surgical and consumer products for the eye including leading
products such as the AcrySof(R) IQ, AcrySof(R) ReSTOR(R) Aspheric Intraocular
Lens (IOL) and AcrySof(R) Toric intraocular lenses for cataract surgery,
Travatan(R) ophthalmic solution for glaucoma, Patanol(R) and Pataday(R)
ophthalmic solutions for eye allergies, Vigamox(R) ophthalmic solution and
TobraDex(R) ophthalmic suspension for eye infections and OptiFree(R) 
RepleniSH(R) multipurpose disinfecting solution for contact lenses. With the
largest corporate research and development commitment of any eye care company
worldwide, Alcon develops pharmaceutical products to treat glaucoma, retinal
diseases, dry eye, infection, inflammation and allergy; surgical products for
cataract, vitreoretinal and refractive procedures; and consumer products in
the areas of contact lens care, dry eye and ocular health. In 2007, Alcon
invested $512 million in the research and development of new products and
plans to invest more than $2.5 billion over the next five years to discover
and develop new treatments for conditions and diseases of the eye. For more
information about Alcon, please visit www.alcon.com.

    About the Survey

    The Leger study was commissioned by Alcon Canada. Data collection for
this study was conducted via telephone between October 2 and October 10, 2007.
A random household selection was achieved by inviting residents across Canada
over 18 years of age to complete the survey. A total of 1500 interviews were
completed. The margin of error for a sample of this size is +/- 2.6%, 19 times
out of 20.

    Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements. This press release
contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve known and
unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual
results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any
future results, performances or achievements expressed or implied by our
forward-looking statements. These statements reflect the views of our
management as of the date of this press release with respect to future events
and are based on assumptions and subject to risks and uncertainties. Given
these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these
forward-looking statements. Except to the extent required under the federal
securities laws and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Securities
and Exchange Commission, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or
revise any of these forward-looking statements, whether to reflect new
information or future events or circumstances or otherwise.

    ---------------------------------------
    (1) Canadian Ophthalmological Society

For further information: Media requiring further information, high
resolution images or interviews please contact Sylvie Piché, Porter Novelli,
(514) 846-5608, cell.: (514) 232-5519, sylvie.piche@porternovelli.com;
Brigitte Filiatrault, Porter Novelli, (514) 846-5605, cell.: (514) 702-2744,
brigitte.filiatrault@porternovelli.com