BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Bausch + Lomb, a leading global eye health company, has expanded its specialty lens business with the addition of Alden Optical Laboratories, Inc., a privately-held company based in Lancaster, N.Y. that manufactures premium specialty and custom soft and gas permeable (GP) contact lenses.

The addition of Alden demonstrates Bausch + Lomb’s commitment to addressing ocular conditions such as myopia, and other serious visual challenges including irregular corneas, by providing a comprehensive portfolio of specialty and custom contact lenses to meet the needs of ECPs and their patients, according to an announcement from B+L.

The acquisition of Alden was made through an affiliate of Bausch + Lomb. The expanded business, known as Bausch + Lomb Specialty Vision Products (formerly known as Advanced Vision Products), is dedicated to delivering innovative products, education and training for ECPs in the specialty and custom contact lens space.

“We are excited to bring Alden’s strong heritage of a diverse and extensive portfolio of premium specialty lenses, including the Zenlens, a mini-scleral lens, and the NovaKone lenses for keratoconus, into our vision care business as part of Bausch + Lomb Specialty Vision Products,” said Mark McKenna, senior vice president and general manager, contact lenses, Bausch + Lomb.

“Our companies have a shared vision in serving the needs of practitioners and patients with innovative and high-quality products and exceptional service. Together, we look forward to delivering the benefits of this combination and addressing the vision needs of patients with challenging visual conditions under the Bausch + Lomb Specialty Vision Products division.”
David Bland, director of custom lens business, has worked extensively on B + L’s Boston side of the business since 1988 and will lead the Specialty Vision Products business under McKenna.

Bausch + Lomb has provided innovative solutions, materials and support to the gas permeable community for decades through its Boston brand of products. The addition of Alden, coupled with Bausch + Lomb’s other R&D initiatives, will further support and fulfill the growing needs of the GP market by providing ECPs finished contact lenses for serious optical conditions such as keratoconus, pellucid marginal degeneration (PMD), post-refractive surgery, and certain ocular surface diseases, the company said.

“We’re pleased that Alden’s portfolio of products has been recognized as exceptional by Bausch + Lomb,” said Charley Creighton, chief executive officer, Alden Optical Laboratories, Inc. "Alden is a natural complement to Bausch + Lomb’s decades of leadership in its line of high quality Boston materials and solutions, especially with Alden receiving full ISO 13485 certification in December confirming our innovative products and services conform to the world-wide standard for quality. We are confident that under their stewardship, the Alden brands will continue to stand for excellence and innovation in eye health.”

Creighton, and Tom Shone, president of Alden Optical Laboratories, Inc., will remain with Bausch + Lomb serving as senior consultants to McKenna and play an integral role in developing the finished lens portion of the business.