MONROVIA, Calif., July 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- STAAR Surgical Company (Nasdaq: STAA) today announced that its registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-116901) providing for the resale of 2,000,000 shares of its common stock, was declared effective at 5:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday, July 1, 2004.

The 2,000,000 shares covered by the registration statement were purchased from STAAR on June 10, 2004, in a private placement to institutional and accredited investors. In connection with that transaction, STAAR entered into a registration rights agreement with the investors, under which STAAR agreed to use its best efforts to register the shares for resale to the public under the Securities Act of 1933. The shares of common stock will be offered by the investors for their own accounts, and the Company will not receive any proceeds of the resale. Their resale of the shares does not constitute a refinancing or refunding of the Company.

STAAR expects the registration statement to remain effective for approximately two years, during which time the selling stockholders may sell all or a part of their registered shares. However they are not obligated to sell any of their shares.

Copies of the prospectus may be obtained by contacting John Bily, STAAR Surgical Company, 1911 Walker Avenue Monrovia, California 91016, 626-303-7902.

About STAAR Surgical

STAAR Surgical is a leader in the development, manufacture and marketing of minimally invasive ophthalmic products employing proprietary technologies. STAAR's products are used by ophthalmic surgeons and include the revolutionary VISIAN ICL(TM) as well as innovative products designed to improve patient outcomes for cataracts and glaucoma. STAAR's ICL has received CE Marking, is approved for sale in 37 countries and has been implanted in more than 35,000 eyes worldwide. It is currently under review by the FDA for use in the United States.

Safe Harbor

All statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including any projections of earnings, revenue, or other financial items, any statements of the plans, strategies, and objectives of management for future operations, any statements concerning proposed new products and government approval of new products, services or developments, any statements regarding future economic conditions or performance, statements of belief and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. These statements are based on expectations and assumptions as of the date of this press release and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties include the results of our response to FDA warning letters, the need to obtain regulatory approval for new products, acceptance of new products by medical practitioners and consumers, the rapid pace of technological change in the ophthalmic industry, general domestic and international economic conditions, access to financing and other factors beyond the control of STAAR Surgical Company, including those detailed from time to time in STAAR Surgical Company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. STAAR Surgical Company assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or actual outcomes and does not intend to do so.

CONTACT: investors, Douglas Sherk, +1-415-896-6820, or Jennifer Beugelmans, +1-415-896-6820, or media, Sheryl Seapy, +1-415-272-3323, all of EVC Group, for STAAR Surgical Company.

SOURCE  STAAR Surgical Company
    -0-                             07/01/2004
    /CONTACT:  investors, Douglas Sherk, +1-415-896-6820, or
Jennifer Beugelmans, +1-415-896-6820, or media, Sheryl Seapy, +1-415-272-3323,
all of EVC Group, for STAAR Surgical Company/
    /Web site:  http://www.staar.com /
    (STAA)

CO:  STAAR Surgical Company
ST:  California
IN:  BIO MTC HEA
SU:

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