FORT WORTH, Texas—Alcon, a global leader in eyecare, has announced the introduction of the Alcon Innovator Program, an initiative to partner with influential eyecare professionals to identify gaps in contact lens offerings and address the market’s unmet needs. As part of the inaugural program in the U.S., Alcon said it selected 20 innovators to receive and offer their patients exclusive access to upcoming Alcon product launches. Through this partnership, innovators shared both practice and patient insights gained from fitting patients in new Alcon contact lenses, as well as developed social and editorial content that highlighted their experience with the latest innovation, according to the announcement.

“Alcon is dedicated to boldly innovating for today’s patient, and therefore, it is essential that we partner with practicing eyecare professionals to ensure our product offerings meet the needs of their patients and their practices,” said Kristen Brotherson, U.S. Vision Care general manager at Alcon. “Together, with the Alcon Innovator Program, we will provide the latest technology and high-quality offerings that continue to make Alcon a leader in eyecare, helping patients see brilliantly.”

While the Alcon Innovator Program is a first-of-its-kind program for the organization, it is a natural progression for the organization’s ongoing initiatives that place professional insights at the forefront of its go-to market strategies when launching new products, Alcon said.

Following the initial launch of the program earlier this year, Alcon expanded its network of innovators to eyecare professionals who received early access to Alcon’s upcoming contact lens offering before it hits the market. Participants fitted patients that best aligned with new innovative products and shared patient feedback to inform the company’s market entry plan and in-market brand positioning.

The Alcon Innovator Program aimed to gain patient insights from across the country to understand the most common areas of dissatisfaction for contact lens wearers. Through this collaboration, Alcon noted that it uncovered the three key barriers that directly impact a patient’s desired outcome when wearing contact lenses: compliance, comfort and cost.

“As we look to the future of the eyecare industry, patients are expecting the consumerization of eyecare the way they’ve seen in other aspects of their health care,"  said Maria Sampalis, OD, an inaugural Innovator. "To meet this demand, it is essential for industry leaders and optometrists to collaborate to provide patients with the latest advancements in contact lenses and focus on solving their unmet needs. I am proud to partner with Alcon as they continue to develop innovative products that drive toward that goal and put my patients first.”

For more information on Alcon and its latest innovations, click here.