Alcon, RxSight announce collaboration to develop adjustable presbyopia-correcting IOLs

Alcon and RxSight, Inc have announced a non-exclusive collaboration to jointly develop adjustable presbyopia-correcting intraocular lenses (PCIOLs), a pairing that would bring post-operative adjustability to the presbyopia-correcting category for patients undergoing cataract surgery.¹

According to the announcement, the companies will innovate on their respective platforms—RxSight's post-operative light-adjustable technology and Alcon's PCIOL optical designs—and combine them into a co-developed technology intended to enable surgeons to fine-tune visual outcomes for cataract patients who choose a PCIOL.¹

Terms of the agreement

As part of the license agreement, RxSight will receive a $60 million upfront payment to begin development, with the potential to receive up to an additional $140 million as development and regulatory milestones are met. Alcon will lead global commercialization of the co-developed technology, while RxSight will be responsible for development and manufacturing and will receive royalties on net sales.¹

David J. Endicott, CEO of Alcon, noted that the company's PCIOLs have helped millions of patients reduce or eliminate the need for glasses following cataract surgery. He said the collaboration creates the opportunity to develop tunable PCIOLs, "giving surgeons even greater confidence to refine outcomes after surgery."¹

Ron Kurtz, MD, president and CEO of RxSight, said the company is excited to work with Alcon to expand patient access to outcomes customized to their needs after surgery, adding that the agreement underscores RxSight's belief in the importance of adjustability and will help accelerate its expansion across a wider base of patients.¹

Bringing adjustability to the presbyopia-correcting space

The collaboration joins 2 technologies that have each reshaped the premium IOL conversation in recent years. RxSight's Light Adjustable Lens (LAL) is the only commercially available IOL that can be adjusted after implantation, using the company's Light Delivery Device to modify lens power in the office once the eye has healed.^1,2 As previously reported by Ophthalmology Times, surgeons have pointed to the LAL as a means of overcoming the limitations of preoperative and intraoperative prediction, closing the gap between intended target and postoperative refractive outcome—particularly in eyes with a history of corneal refractive surgery, where IOL power calculations remain difficult to predict.^2-4

Alcon, meanwhile, brings a broad presbyopia-correcting portfolio to the partnership. The company's PanOptix lens was the first trifocal IOL available in the US, and its Clareon IOL collection spans presbyopia-mitigating trifocal and monofocal designs, both with toric options; the Clareon PanOptix Pro, the most recent addition to the platform, utilizes the company's ENLIGHTEN NXT optical technology.⁵

For surgeons, the appeal of the combined approach is straightforward: PCIOL patients carry the highest expectations for spectacle independence, and residual refractive error remains a leading driver of dissatisfaction in this population. A presbyopia-correcting lens that could be refined post-operatively would give surgeons a pathway to address refractive surprise without an IOL exchange or corneal refractive enhancement.

Additional details, including material terms and conditions of the agreement, were filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission in a Current Report on Form 8-K.¹

References

1. Alcon and RxSight announce collaboration to develop adjustable PCIOLs. Press release. RxSight, Inc. July 6, 2026. Accessed July 10, 2026. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/07/06/3322753/0/en/Alcon-and-RxSight-Announce-Collaboration-to-Develop-Adjustable-PCIOLs.html

2. Charters L. Light adjustable IOLs: Treat patients with Star Trek-like technology. Ophthalmology Times. Accessed July 10, 2026. https://www.ophthalmologytimes.com/view/light-adjustable-iols-treat-patients-with-star-trek-like-technology

3. Achieving a new level of refractive precision: Surgical strategies. Ophthalmology Times. Accessed July 10, 2026. https://www.ophthalmologytimes.com/view/achieving-a-new-level-of-refractive-precision-surgical-strategies

4. Light-adjustable IOL offers positive refractive results in patients. Ophthalmology Times. Accessed July 10, 2026. https://www.ophthalmologytimes.com/view/light-adjustable-iol-offers-positive-refractive-results-in-patients

5. Alcon's Clareon PanOptix Pro IOL approved in Canada for cataract patients. Ophthalmology Times. Accessed July 10, 2026. https://www.ophthalmologytimes.com/view/alcon-s-clareon-panoptix-pro-iol-approved-in-canada-for-cataract-patients