Milestones

CIBA VISION was established in 1980 as a diversification effort of Ciba-Geigy's USA Pharmaceutical Division. In 1996, Ciba-Geigy merged with Sandoz to form Novartis, one of the world's leading health-care companies, and CIBA VISION became the eye care unit of Novartis.

In 1980, CIBA VISION entered the soft contact lens market. Through innovation, strategic acquisition and an ability to quickly meet market developments and emerging technologies, CIBA VISION has grown from a start-up to a company with more than $1 billion in sales.

CIBA VISION's rapid growth has been achieved through understanding the needs of our customers - practitioners, consumers, and trade partners - and delivering innovative, superior solutions. Our success is driven by a talented, progressive team of more than 6,000 associates who see challenges and opportunities in new and different ways.

Here are many of the milestones of success we have achieved along the way.

2008

Launch of an innovative, comprehensive global professional education initiative called the CIBA VISION Global Academy for Eyecare Excellence™ to help ECPs stay current with the latest clinical aspects of contact lenses and lens care, manage the business side of their practices, communicate effectively with patients and prescribe vision correction solutions that best meet patients’ lifestyle and eye health needs.
Roll out of the new CIBA VISION logo and purpose statement to reflect the company’s focus on innovation, quality and strong partnerships with eye care professionals.
CIBA VISION introduces AIR OPTIX™ for ASTIGMATISM in Canada. With its unique Precision Balance 8|4 Design, the lens delivers 95% first fit successⁱⁱ and excellent comfort, vision and stability – together with the benefits of a highly breathable silicone hydrogel lens material.
On April 7, 2008, Novartis announced it will acquire a 25% stake in the world leader in eye care from Nestlé and has the right to 77% majority ownership of Alcon as early as 2010.
Introduction of an additional -1.75D cylinder for AIR OPTIX™ for ASTIGMATISM.

2007

CIBA VISION introduces new O2OPTIX Custom™ lenses (also known as AIR OPTIX Individual™) – new lenses bring the health benefits of silicone hydrogel lenses to even the most challenging-to-fit patients.
CIBA VISION introduces DAILIES® AquaComfort Plus™ in Canada. DAILIES AquaComfort Plus lenses feature CIBA VISION’s unique Triple Action Moisture for outstanding all-day comfort.
CIBA VISION introduces Focus® DAILIES® Progressives with AquaRelease™ offering presbyopic patients all-day comfort and excellent vision.
New study shows that silicone hydrogel lens wearers rate Clear CareÒ #1 in cleaning, comfort and clarity of vision vs. leading multi-purpose solutionsⁱ.
CIBA VISION opens a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Johor, Malaysia to produce O2OPTIX®/AIR OPTIX™ contact lenses.

2006

Introduced FreshLook® ONE-DAY color contact lenses.
Introduced expanded parameters for Focus® DAILIES® Toric.
Introduced the MicroBlock® lens case in Canada – included with every purchase of SOLOCARE AQUA®* (MPS). The MicroBlock lens case is infused with an antimicrobial agent that provides extra protection against lens case contamination.

2005

Introduced CIBASOFT Progressive Toric – a specialty toric multifocal lens that provides presbyopic, astigmatic patients with excellent intermediate and near vision without compromising distance acuity.
Opened a multi-million dollar manufacturing facility in Singapore to expand production of Focus DAILIES lenses.
Expanded the parameters for O₂OPTIX® high-oxygen, breathable lenses for whiter, healthy-looking eyes.
Introduced new Focus® DAILIES® with AquaRelease™, a built-in moisturizing agent for improved end-of-day comfort vs. the original Focus DAILIES
Became the first contact lens manufacturer to announce successful completion of the FDA required one-year post-marketing study of its contact lenses worn for up to 30 nights of continuous wear. Study findings further confirm the long-term safety of NIGHT & DAY® breathable soft contact lenses when worn on a continuous wear basis.
CIBA VISION makes five-year commitment to Optometry Giving Sight as founding global corporate patron. CIBA VISION will contribute $1 million over 5 years and created a corporate fellowship position to support global development of the program.

2004

Introduced O₂OPTIX® - a high-oxygen, breathable daily wear contact lens that provides whiter, healthy-looking eyes.
Introduced SOLO-care AQUA® - a one-bottle lens care solution that locks in moisture and prevents lens dehydration giving you comfortable, moist lenses all day long, even in the toughest environments.
Completed the sale of our Surgical Business.

2003

CIBA VISION improves customer focus by expanding our North America sales force.
AOSEPT® Clear Care^TM becomes the first one-bottle peroxide lens care solution cleared for use with rigid gas permeable lenses in the United States.
NIGHT & DAY® lenses receive FDA approval and clearance from Health Canada for therapeutic use and become available in plano.
AOSEPT® Clear Care^TM becomes the fastest growing lens care solution in the United States.
CIBA VISION launches www.mycibavision.com - a convenient e-commerce solution for U.S. and Canadian eye care professionals.
CIBA VISION launches FreshLook Dimensions^TM, the next generation of color contact lenses designed to beautifully enhance light eyes. CIBA VISION also launches two new FreshLook ColorBlends lenses - True Sapphire and Pure Hazel - that provide a more intense eye color change than other FreshLook ColorBlends colors.
AOSEPT® Clear Care^TM is approved by Health Canada for seven-day storage of contact lenses.
AOSEPT® Clear Care^TM and SOLO-Care® Plus are cleared by the FDA to add a specific indication for use with silicone hydrogel lenses.
AQuify^TM long-lasting comfort drops are introduced.

2002

CIBA VISION and Johns Hopkins begin post-market study with more than 5,000 wearers of NIGHT & Day® lenses.
Improved no-rub solution, SOLO-Care Plus® (containing Aqualube for enhanced comfort) is introduced.
Focus® DAILIES® Toric, the world's first daily disposable lens for astigmatism, launches first in Switzerland, then expands to include other countries throughout Europe as well as the United States and Canada.
NIGHT & DAY® lenses receive a CE mark in Europe for therapeutic use.
Results of a multi-center study show that four out of five patients prefer AOSEPT® Clear Care^TM.
AOSEPT® Clear Care^TM launches in Canada.
Glen Bradley, CEO of CIBA VISION announces plans to retire and Joe Mallof is named as his successor.
CIBA VISION launches FreshLook Radiance^TM, lenses that illuminate both light and dark eyes without changing the natural color.
A new manufacturing process is introduced to make FreshLook® color contact lenses more comfortable than ever.

2001

Ophthalmics pharmaceutical is transitioned from CIBA VISION to become Novartis Ophthalmics, a separate eye health unit operating under the Pharmaceutical Division of parent company Novartis AG.
Integration of CIBA VISION and Wesley Jessen sales teams completed - the combined CIBA VISION sales force becomes the largest in the industry.
SOLO-care® PLUS, a one-bottle, no rub, no rinse lens care solution, receives a CE mark.
Solo-care® Plus launches in Europe.
AOSEPT® Clear Care^TM, the first one-bottle, no-rub lens care solution with no added preservatives launched in the U.S.
The FDA Advisory Panel recommends the approval of NIGHT & Day® for up to 30 nights continuous wear.
CIBA VISION acquires an exclusive license from the UltraVision Corporation to market and distribute the Choice A.B.^TM aberration-blocking soft contact lenses.
U.S. FDA approves NIGHT & DAY® contact lenses for extended wear of up to thirty nights of continuous wear.
CIBA VISION completes integration of Wesley Jessen Systems.
NIGHT & DAY® lenses lead silicone hydrogel lens market in Europe; category up about 100 percent.

2000

CIBA VISION gains FDA approval in the U.S. and Therapeutic Products Programme of Health Canada approval to market Visudyne^TM Therapy for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 50 in the western world. Visudyne has subsequently been approved in Argentina, Brazil and Malta.
AOSept Plus, a preservative-free, no-rub, no-rinse lens care system is launched in Europe, offering the power of peroxide in a convenient one-bottle solution.
An agreement is announced for CIBA VISION to acquire Wesley Jessen, a leading worldwide developer, manufacturer and marketer of specialty contact lenses.
The launch of Focus® DAILIES® Progressives in Italy, the world's first daily disposable contact lens for presbyopia - providing a vision correction alternative to bifocal spectacles and reading glasses.

1999

CIBA VISION obtains CE mark approval to market NIGHT & Day® in Europe, for up to 30-nights continuous wear.
Launch Focus® Progressives, easy to fit, soft contact lenses for bifocal wearers.
SOLO-Care^TM becomes the first one-bottle multi-purpose cleaning and disinfecting solution to receive FDA clearance for the 10-minute indication for both soft contact lenses and rigid gas permeable lenses.
Market approval received in Switzerland, the first country to offer Visudyne^TM Therapy, to treat of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

1998

Mexico launch of NIGHT & Day®, which contains a breakthrough, high-oxygen soft contact lens material, called lotrafilcon, allowing sufficient oxygen to reach the eyes, even during sleep, with up to six times more oxygen than an ordinary soft contact lens.

1997

Introduce AOSept®, with the AODisc® neutralizer built into the lens case for increased patient convenience and compliance.

1996

Announce merger plans of Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz to form Novartis.
Formal merger of Novartis approved. CIBA VISION becomes the eye care unit of this world leader in life sciences.
Launch Focus® DAILIES® one-day disposable contact lenses, establishing an entirely new level of performance and affordability for the daily disposable contact lens category.

1994

Launch a revolutionary five-minute lens care system in the U.S. under the brand name QuickCARE^TM.

1993

Acquire Laboratories Faure in France, and launch SOLO-Care^TM, a one-bottle cleaning and disinfecting solution, in Europe.

1991

Launch Illusions® (tefilcon) eye-color-changing soft contact lenses for dark eyes.
Relocate US corporate headquarters, optics, research and development, and administration 35 miles north of Atlanta, Georgia, in the suburb of Duluth.

1990

Introduce first soft contact lens exclusively for programmed replacement: Focus® (vifilcon A) Monthly Replacement Lenses. Expanding into ophthalmic pharmaceuticals.

1988

Acquire the CooperVision range of lens care products outside the United States.

1985

Acquire American Optical Company's contact lens and lens care product lines, including the AOSEPT® Disinfection/Neutralization System.

1984

Become one of the first major manufacturers to market a soft contact lens that enhances eye color: Softcolors® (tefilcon).

1983

Introduce BiSoft®, the first FDA approved soft bifocal contact lens. Enter the European contact lens market with the acquisition of the Titmus Eurocon contact lens business.

1981

First to market with a visibility tinted soft contact lens.

*The PRO-GUARD lens case should not be used by persons who are allergic to silver or other metals.

AIR OPTIX for ASTIGMATISM Dk/t = 108 @ -3.00D. -1.25 x 180.

CIBA VISION data on file, 2006. According to subjective ratings given by silicone hydrogel lens wearers in a clinical study comparing Clear Care to OPTI-FREE RepleniSH, OPTI-FREE EXPRESS, Complete MoisturePLUS, and ReNu MultiPlus as a group.

2008-05-0434

CIBA VISION data on file, 2005.