The vision of a company

I’d like to think that I’m not the only person who has spent the last few years with my eyes on a screen. It doesn’t matter if it’s a cell phone, a computer, or a TV enjoying good movies on some platform. But all these hours of strain on my eyes are taking a heavy toll on me. Unfortunately, I needed to see an ophthalmologist to help me with my vision problems.

I actually prescribed glasses a few years ago, but I had always had the problem of forgetting them somewhere or not being able to have them with me when I needed them. That’s why I started to consider that it would be a good idea to opt for contact lenses. That’s how I got to know Alcon AG (NYSE: ALC).

This company was born in 1945, in Texas, by the union of two pharmacists, Robert Alexander and William Conner, the first syllables of each surname giving rise to the name Alcon AG (NYSE: ALC). They started out in pharmaceuticals but later incorporated products for eye infections and for itching and redness of the eyes, for which they developed the eye drop dispenser bottle.

But what interested me most was to learn that in 1989 they launched the first soft contact lens, to be replaced periodically. These were followed by silicone hydrogel lenses that can be worn continuously for 30 nights. Of course, they also offer us a solution that we can use to clean and disinfect the lenses.

I continued researching about Alcon AG (NYSE: ALC) and have been really surprised by some facts. In 1994 the US FDA approved the intraocular lens they created, and as of 2022, more than 135 million have been implanted worldwide, something that really shocked me, not only because of the number of implants of this type of lens that are made per year but also because of the enormous number of people who choose the intraocular lenses of this company. Years later, they refine them so that they can be multifocal and allow their use for both astigmatism and presbyopia.

Alcon’s goal is to increase the number of people who can see clearly because they understand that this is the only way to have a bright life. That is why the Alcon Foundation they are trying to bring quality eye care to places where it is deficient or where there is none at all and for those who do not have the resources to access it.

They are so committed to providing the best care to patients that they have opened eye health education and training centers in different parts of the world, where more than 15,000 eye care professionals receive training. Eighty percent of vision problems are treatable or preventable, and untreated conditions also lead to productivity losses. That is why they are equipping hospitals with the necessary resources to be able to provide permanent ophthalmological care.

It’s about improving people’s quality of life, and clearly, by improving vision, vision improves. Alcon AG (NYSE: ALC) is a truly global company, as it is present in more than 140 countries. It wants to make a difference and is definitely doing so, positioning itself as a leading company, offering a wide range of contact lenses and surgical eye health products.