Independent Industry Analysts Recognize Value Provided to STAAR Stockholders by Amended Alcon Merger Agreement and Merits of Alcon Transaction

Increased Alcon Merger Price of $30.75 per Share is an Attractive Outcome for STAAR Stockholders

LAKE FOREST, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–STAAR Surgical Company (NASDAQ: STAA), the global leader in phakic IOLs with the EVO family of Implantable Collamer^® Lenses (EVO ICL) for vision correction, today reported that independent industry analysts have recognized the value provided to STAAR stockholders by the Company’s amended merger agreement with Alcon (SIX/NYSE: ALC) and the merits of the Alcon transaction. The Alcon merger agreement, as revised on December 9, 2025, provides that STAAR stockholders will receive $30.75 per share in cash if the transaction with Alcon is consummated, representing a 74% premium to STAAR’s 90-day Volume Weighted Average Price as of August 4, 2025 and a 66% premium to the closing price of STAAR common stock on August 4, 2025.

Independent industry analysts have stated:

• “We think STAA shareholders should take this offer otherwise STAA shares are likely to meaningfully suffer if the deal is not consummated.” (BTIG, Dec. 9, 2025)

• “ALC increases acquisition price following expiration of the go-shop period … Given the announcement earlier this week of the expiration of the “go-shop” process, where no other proposals materialized and there was seemingly limited interest by others in acquiring STAA (evident by the few number of NDAs that were signed), we believe that these changes will likely satisfy shareholders.” (Canaccord Genuity, Dec. 9, 2025)

• “Healthy premium remains, go-shop complete. The $1.6bn all-in takeout valuation prices the transaction at roughly ~4.5x on a forward EV/Sales basis using our blended 2026-2027 prevailing STAA estimates ($271mn in 2026; $300mn in 2027). This approximate ~4.5x exit multiple is comparable to smid-cap growth peers with a topline growth profile of 10%+ which trade in the 4x to 6x range on ’26/’27 estimates. The proposed offer is also in-line with recent deals across the US Medtech space… Hence, we see the ~4.5x proposed exit multiple as sufficiently fair.” (Mizuho, Dec. 9, 2025)

• “The new offer represents an attractive outcome for shareholders, in our view, particularly given the absence of a competing bid following the second go-shop period.” (Needham, Dec. 9, 2025)

In addition, as announced yesterday, independent proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services (“ISS”) has issued an updated report and now recommends that STAAR stockholders vote “FOR” the Alcon transaction. In its report, ISS states that “uncertainties about valuation are now outweighed by the combination of more acute downside risks and improved terms” ¹ with respect to the Alcon agreement.

The STAAR Board of Directors recommends that stockholders vote “FOR” the Alcon merger on the WHITE proxy card TODAY to protect the value of their investment.

STAAR will hold a virtual Special Meeting of Stockholders on December 19, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. (Pacific Time). Stockholders of record as of the close of business on October 24, 2025, are entitled to vote at the meeting.

Stockholders with questions about voting their shares should contact STAAR’s proxy solicitor, Innisfree M&A Incorporated:

• For stockholders: +1 877-750-8233 (toll-free from the U.S. and Canada) or +1 412-232-3651 (from other countries)
• For banks and brokerage firms: +1 212-750-5833

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 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 3 million ICLs in over 75 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.EVOICL.com. To learn more about STAAR, visit www.staar.com.

Additional Information About the Merger and Where to Find It

This communication relates to the proposed transaction involving STAAR. In connection with the proposed transaction, STAAR has filed relevant materials with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including STAAR’s definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A (the “Proxy Statement”), on September 16, 2025. The Proxy Statement was first sent to STAAR stockholders on September 16, 2025, and was thereafter supplemented. This communication is not a substitute for the Proxy Statement or any other document that STAAR may file with the SEC or send to its stockholders in connection with the proposed transaction. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING DECISION, STOCKHOLDERS OF STAAR ARE URGED TO READ ALL RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED OR TO BE FILED WITH THE SEC, INCLUDING THE PROXY STATEMENT, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO, IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain the documents (when available) free of charge at the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov, or by visiting STAAR’s investor relations website, https://investors.staar.com.

No Offer or Solicitation

This communication is for informational purposes only and is not intended to and does not constitute, or form part of, an offer, invitation or the solicitation of an offer or invitation to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of any securities, or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, pursuant to the proposed transaction or otherwise, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law.

Participants in the Solicitation

Under SEC rules, STAAR and certain of its directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the holders of STAAR’s common stock in connection with the proposed transaction. Information about the directors and executive officers of STAAR and their ownership of STAAR’s common stock is set forth in the Proxy Statement, the definitive proxy statement for STAAR’s 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Proxy Statement”), which was filed with the SEC on April 24, 2025 (and which is available at https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0000718937/000095017025058174/staa-20250424.htm), including the sections captioned “Compensation of Directors,” “Information Regarding Executive Officers” and “Security Ownership of Principal Shareholders and Management,” or its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 27, 2024, which was filed with the SEC on February 21, 2025 (and which is available at https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0000718937/000095017025024813/staa-20241227.htm), and in other documents filed by STAAR with the SEC. To the extent holdings of such participants in STAAR’s securities have changed since the amounts described in the Proxy Statement, such changes have been reflected on Initial Statements of Beneficial Ownership on Form 3 or Statements of Change in Ownership on Form 4 filed with the SEC by STAAR’s directors and executive officers. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above. Additional information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC in respect of the proposed transaction when they become available.

Forward-Looking Statements

The information covered by this communication contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements often contain words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “plan,” “estimate,” “project,” “continue,” “will,” “should,” “may,” and similar terms. All statements in this communication that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from what is expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to: (1) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Alcon merger agreement or could cause the consummation of the proposed transaction to be delayed or to fail to occur; (2) the failure to obtain approval of the proposed transaction from STAAR’s stockholders; (3) the failure to obtain certain required regulatory approvals or the failure to satisfy any of the other closing conditions to the completion of the proposed transaction within the expected timeframes or at all; (4) risks related to disruption of management’s attention from STAAR’s ongoing business operations due to the proposed transaction; (5) the effect of the announcement of the proposed transaction on the ability of STAAR to retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with its customers, suppliers and others with whom it does business, or on its operating results and business generally; (6) the ability of STAAR to meet expectations regarding the timing and completion of the transaction; (7) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against STAAR related to the proposed transaction; (8) the possibility that STAAR’s stock price may decline significantly if the proposed transaction is not consummated; and (9) other important factors set forth in the Proxy Statement under the caption “Risk Factors” and STAAR’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 27, 2024 under the caption “Risk Factors,” as any such factors may be updated from time to time in STAAR’s other filings with the SEC.

Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and, except as may be required under applicable law, STAAR undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

____________________________

¹ Permission to use quotations here and throughout neither sought nor obtained

Contacts

STAAR Contacts:
Niko Liu, CFA

United States: +1 626-303-7902 (ext 3023)

Hong Kong: +852-6092-5076

nliu@staar.com
investorrelations@staar.com

Connie Johnson

+1 626-303-7902 (ext 2207)

cjohnson@staar.com

Lucas Pers / Alexandra Benedict

Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher

+1 212-895-8692 / +1 212-895-8644