(Press Release)
BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Global eye health company Bausch + Lomb announced that it has expanded its specialty lens business with the addition of Alden Optical Laboratories, Inc., a privately held company that manufactures specialty and custom soft and gas permeable (GP) contact lenses.
Bausch + Lomb acquired Alden as part of its commitment to address ocular conditions such as myopia and other serious visual challenges, including irregular corneas, by providing a portfolio of specialty and custom contact lenses for eye care providers (ECPs) and their patients. The acquisition of Alden was made through an affiliate of Bausch + Lomb.
The expanded business, known as Bausch + Lomb Specialty Vision Products (formerly known as Advanced Vision Products, no affiliation with Advanced Vision Technologies, based in Lakewood, CO), is dedicated to delivering products, education and training for ECPs in the specialty and custom contact lens space.
“We are excited to bring Alden’s strong heritage of a diverse and extensive portfolio of premium specialty lenses, including the Zenlens, a mini-scleral lens and the NovaKone lenses for keratoconus, into our Vision Care business as part of Bausch + Lomb Specialty Vision Products,” says Mark McKenna, senior vice president and general manager, contact lenses, Bausch + Lomb. “Our companies have a shared vision in serving the needs of practitioners and patients with innovative and high-quality products and exceptional service. Together, we look forward to delivering the benefits of this combination and addressing the vision needs of patients with challenging visual conditions under the Bausch + Lomb Specialty Vision Products division.”
David Bland, director of custom lens business, has worked extensively on Bausch + Lomb’s Boston side of the business since 1988 and will lead the Specialty Vision Products business under McKenna.
Bausch + Lomb provides solutions, materials and support to the gas permeable community through its Boston brand of products. The addition of Alden, coupled with Bausch + Lomb’s other R&D initiatives, is intended to support and fulfill the growing needs of the GP market by providing ECPs finished contact lenses for serious optical conditions such as keratoconus, Pellucid Marginal Degeneration (PMD), post-refractive surgery and certain ocular surface diseases.
“We’re pleased that Alden’s portfolio of products has been recognized as exceptional by Bausch + Lomb,” said Charley Creighton, CEO of Alden Optical Laboratories. "Alden is a natural complement to Bausch + Lomb’s decades of leadership in its line of high-quality Boston materials and solutions, especially with Alden receiving full ISO 13485 certification in December, confirming our innovative products and services conform to the worldwide standard for quality. We are confident that under their stewardship, the Alden brands will continue to stand for excellence and innovation in eye health.”
Creighton, and Tom Shone, president of Alden Optical Laboratories, will remain with Bausch + Lomb serving as senior consultants to McKenna and playing an integral role in developing the finished lens portion of the business.
As part of the Specialty Vision Products business, Bausch + Lomb will provide substantial investment to expand the training and education programs offered to ECPs and students, as well as other key programs and initiatives. To support ECPs custom lens and lens care needs, a team of sales, fitting consultants and specialty lens trainers will be available to provide the latest information on products, training events, fitting tools and resources available via workshops, webinars and online tools.