STAAR Surgical Names Andrew Pilon as Vice President of Business Development

Accomplished Ophthalmic Industry Executive and Clinician to Help Advance STAAR’s Strategic Partnerships, Innovation Opportunities, and Multi-Product Platform Strategy

LAKE FOREST, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--STAAR Surgical Company (“STAAR” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: STAA), the global leader in phakic IOLs with the EVO family of Implantable Collamer® Lenses (EVO ICL™) for vision correction, today announced the appointment of Andrew Pilon, O.D. as Vice President of Business Development. Dr. Pilon will report to STAAR President and Chief Executive Officer Warren Foust and will work closely with the Company’s senior leadership team to capitalize on opportunities that support STAAR’s innovation strategy and expand the Company’s product portfolio.

Dr. Pilon joins STAAR from Johnson & Johnson Vision, where he spent nearly six years as Senior Director of Business Development for the Surgical Vision division. In that role, he led efforts to evaluate and advance strategic partnerships, acquisitions, and licensing opportunities across Johnson & Johnson’s global ophthalmology portfolio. Under Dr. Pilon’s leadership, Johnson & Johnson Vision successfully expanded its global portfolio of strategic investments and partnerships across the optometric and ophthalmic sectors, helping advance long-term growth opportunities spanning their consumables, capital equipment, and digital health capabilities. He previously served as Johnson & Johnson’s Senior Director of New Ventures & Transactions for Vision Science, a role in which he focused on identifying growth opportunities aligned with the strategic priorities of Johnson & Johnson’s operating companies.

"Andrew brings a unique combination of clinical expertise, extensive ophthalmology experience, and a strong track record in strategic growth," said Mr. Foust. "Throughout his career, Andrew has demonstrated a talent for maximizing the value of existing technology while strengthening businesses through strategic licensing, partnerships, and structured investments. As we continue to grow EVO ICL, expand into new markets, and evolve our multi-product platform, I am confident that Andrew will help us identify and unlock new opportunities that accelerate innovation and broaden the range of products we can offer to patients and physicians."

“I am thrilled to join the STAAR team during such an exciting time and look forward to helping the Company build on its leadership position in lens-based refractive surgery,” said Dr. Pilon. “Together, we will further strengthen STAAR’s strategic partnerships and alliances, identify promising new technologies, and pursue initiatives that broaden the Company’s capabilities, including with respect to additional uses of its proprietary Collamer material technology. The opportunities ahead are significant, and we are well positioned to expand our portfolio and pursue new avenues for innovation and growth.”

Prior to Johnson & Johnson, Dr. Pilon held multiple leadership positions at Bausch + Lomb, including roles in professional strategy, corporate development, and marketing. Dr. Pilon trained and practiced as an optometrist and served as a clinical faculty member at the Southern California College of Optometry and Illinois College of Optometry. He has also participated as an investigator in more than three dozen FDA-regulated clinical trials that have contributed to the approval and commercialization of numerous drugs and medical devices. Dr. Pilon has experience advising the boards of several venture-backed ophthalmic companies across a range of growth initiatives, including leadership development, executive recruitment, capital formation, operational improvement, and strategic planning.

Dr. Pilon holds a Doctor of Optometry from the Illinois College of Optometry, where he graduated summa cum laude as class valedictorian. He also earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Nevada, Reno, and a bachelor’s degree in molecular biology and biotechnology from McMaster University.

About STAAR Surgical

STAAR Surgical (NASDAQ: STAA) is the global leader in implantable phakic intraocular lenses, a vision correction solution that reduces or eliminates the need for glasses or contact lenses. Since 1982, STAAR has been dedicated solely to ophthalmic surgery, and for over 30 years, STAAR has been designing, developing, manufacturing, and marketing advanced Implantable Collamer® Lenses (ICLs), using its proprietary biocompatible Collamer material. STAAR ICLs are clinically proven to deliver safe long-term vision correction without removing corneal tissue or the eye's natural crystalline lens. Its EVO ICL™ product line provides visual freedom through a quick, minimally invasive procedure. STAAR has sold more than 4 million ICLs in over 85 countries. Headquartered in Lake Forest, California, the Company operates research, development, manufacturing, and packaging facilities in California and Switzerland. For more information about ICL, visit www.discovericl.com. To learn more about STAAR, visit www.staar.com.

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Forward-Looking Statements

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