STAAR Surgical Board of Directors Reiterates Unanimous Recommendation that STAAR Stockholders Vote “FOR” the Alcon Merger Agreement on WHITE Proxy Card

STAAR Surgical Company (NASDAQ: STAA) (“STAAR”), the global leader in phakic IOLs with the EVO family of Implantable Collamer Lenses (EVO ICL) for vision correction, today provided the following statement in response to a report issued by Glass, Lewis & Co., LLC (“Glass Lewis”) related to STAAR’s pending merger with Alcon (SIX/NYSE: ALC):

The STAAR Board of Directors and management team strongly disagree with the recommendation issued by Glass Lewis. Alcon is paying STAAR stockholders a 59% premium to the 90-day VWAP, whereas Broadwood’s proposal to vote down the merger could allow Broadwood to take control without paying any premium to other stockholders.

STAAR stockholders have a choice:

Vote For:	Vote Against:
✓ $28.00 per share all-cash offer	x $18.49 per share prior to announcement
✓ Certain and immediate cash value	x STAAR expects that its valuation would face considerable downward pressure in the event of a vote against the deal
✓ Significant premium by any measure	x STAAR’s future direction controlled by a single minority stockholder at the expense of the majority
✓ Attractive valuation multiple	x Risk of creeping control by Broadwood a likely drag on valuation
✓ De-risks standalone plan and addresses headwinds	x Ongoing risks related to standalone prospects
✓ Accelerates ICL adoption by more surgeons for the benefit of more patients worldwide	x Threatened dismissal of existing Board and management, with new team hand-picked by Broadwood ― given Broadwood’s significant input on STAAR over 30+ years, it is unclear how STAAR’s other stockholders would benefit from even greater control by Broadwood
✓ Unanimously recommended and approved by STAAR’s independent and experienced Board	x Lengthy and significant disruption to patients, surgeons, employees, distributors, partners, and stockholders

“We urge all STAAR stockholders to protect their investment and vote ‘FOR’ the Alcon merger on the WHITE proxy card TODAY.”

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