Accomplished Ophthalmic Industry Executive and Clinician to Help Advance STAAR’s Strategic Partnerships, Innovation Opportunities, and Multi-Product Platform Strategy

STAAR Surgical Company ("STAAR" or the "Company") (NASDAQ:STAA), the global leader in phakic IOLs with the EVO family of Implantable Collamer® Lenses (EVO ICL™) for vision correction, today announced the appointment of Andrew Pilon, O.D. as Vice President of Business Development. Dr. Pilon will report to STAAR President and Chief Executive Officer Warren Foust and will work closely with the Company’s senior leadership team to capitalize on opportunities that support STAAR’s innovation strategy and expand the Company’s product portfolio.

Dr. Pilon joins STAAR from Johnson & Johnson Vision, where he spent nearly six years as Senior Director of Business Development for the Surgical Vision division. In that role, he led efforts to evaluate and advance strategic partnerships, acquisitions, and licensing opportunities across Johnson & Johnson’s global ophthalmology portfolio. Under Dr. Pilon’s leadership, Johnson & Johnson Vision successfully expanded its global portfolio of strategic investments and partnerships across the optometric and ophthalmic sectors, helping advance long-term growth opportunities spanning their consumables, capital equipment, and digital health capabilities. He previously served as Johnson & Johnson’s Senior Director of New Ventures & Transactions for Vision Science, a role in which he focused on identifying growth opportunities aligned with the strategic priorities of Johnson & Johnson’s operating companies.

"Andrew brings a unique combination of clinical expertise, extensive ophthalmology experience, and a strong track record in strategic growth," said Mr. Foust. "Throughout his career, Andrew has demonstrated a talent for maximizing the value of existing technology while strengthening businesses through strategic licensing, partnerships, and structured investments. As we continue to grow EVO ICL, expand into new markets, and evolve our multi-product platform, I am confident that Andrew will help us identify and unlock new opportunities that accelerate innovation and broaden the range of products we can offer to patients and physicians."

"I am thrilled to join the STAAR team during such an exciting time and look forward to helping the Company build on its leadership position in lens-based refractive surgery," said Dr. Pilon. "Together, we will further strengthen STAAR’s strategic partnerships and alliances, identify promising new technologies, and pursue initiatives that broaden the Company’s capabilities, including with respect to additional uses of its proprietary Collamer material technology. The opportunities ahead are significant, and we are well positioned to expand our portfolio and pursue new avenues for innovation and growth."

Prior to Johnson & Johnson, Dr. Pilon held multiple leadership positions at Bausch + Lomb, including roles in professional strategy, corporate development, and marketing. Dr. Pilon trained and practiced as an optometrist and served as a clinical faculty member at the Southern California College of Optometry and Illinois College of Optometry. He has also participated as an investigator in more than three dozen FDA-regulated clinical trials that have contributed to the approval and commercialization of numerous drugs and medical devices. Dr. Pilon has experience advising the boards of several venture-backed ophthalmic companies across a range of growth initiatives, including leadership development, executive recruitment, capital formation, operational improvement, and strategic planning.

Dr. Pilon holds a Doctor of Optometry from the Illinois College of Optometry, where he graduated summa cum laude as class valedictorian. He also earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Nevada, Reno, and a bachelor’s degree in molecular biology and biotechnology from McMaster University.

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 over 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 4 million ICLs in over 85 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.discovericl.com. To learn more about STAAR, visit www.staar.com.

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Forward-Looking Statements

This press release 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 press release 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: our ability to grow and generate profit; our reliance on independent distributors in international markets; a slowdown or disruption to the Chinese economy; global economic and geopolitical conditions; disruptions in our supply chain; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; international trade disputes (including involving tariffs) and substantial dependence on demand from Asia; changes in effective tax rate or tax laws; any loss of use of our principal manufacturing facility; competition; potential losses due to product liability claims; our exposure to environmental liability; data corruption, cyber-based attacks or network security breaches and/or noncompliance with data protection and privacy regulations; acquisitions of new technologies; climate changes; the willingness of surgeons and patients to adopt a new or improved product and procedure; extensive clinical trials and resources devoted to research and development; compliance with government regulations; the discretion of regulatory agencies to approve or reject existing, new or improved products, or to require additional actions before or after approval, or to take enforcement action; laws pertaining to healthcare fraud and abuse; changes in FDA or international regulations related to product approval; product recalls or failures; and other important factors set forth in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 2, 2026 under the caption "Risk Factors," which is filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and available in the "Investor Information" section of the Company’s website under the heading "SEC Filings," as any such factors may be updated from time to time in the Company’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, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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Investor/Media Contact:

ir@staar.com

Connie Johnson

(626) 303-7902 (ext. 2207)

cjohnson@staar.com