<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001236551-03-000001
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20030528
<FILING-DATE>20030530
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>STAAR SURGICAL COMPANY
<CIK>0000718937
<ASSIGNED-SIC>3851
<IRS-NUMBER>953797439
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>0101
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1911 WALKER AVE
<CITY>MONROVIA
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>91016
<PHONE>8183037902
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1911 WALKER AVE
<CITY>MONROVIA
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>91016
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>BAILEY DAVID
<CIK>0001236551
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-11634
<FILM-NUMBER>03724232
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1911 WALKER AVENUE
<CITY>MONROVIA
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>91016
<PHONE>6263037902
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1911 WALKER AVENUE
<CITY>MONROVIA
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>91016
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-05-28</periodOfReport>


    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000718937</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>STAAR SURGICAL COMPANY</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>STAAR</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001236551</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BAILEY DAVID</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President and CEO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Common Stock Options</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>3.35</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <transactionDate>
            <value>2003-05-28</value>
        </transactionDate>
        <transactionCoding>
            <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
            <transactionCode>X</transactionCode>
            <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
        </transactionCoding>
        <transactionTimeliness>
            <value></value>
        </transactionTimeliness>
        <transactionAmounts>
            <transactionShares>
                <value>10000</value>
            </transactionShares>
            <transactionValue>
                <value>11.647</value>
            </transactionValue>
            <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                <value>D</value>
            </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
        </transactionAmounts>
        <exerciseDate>
            <value>2001-08-09</value>
        </exerciseDate>
        <expirationDate>
            <value>2011-08-08</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>
            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>
            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>10000</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <postTransactionAmounts>
            <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                <value>990000</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
        </postTransactionAmounts>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeSecurity>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Common Stock Options granted 12/20/00 500,000 shs @11.125/sh (not previously reported)
Common Stock Options granted 08/09/01 140,000 shs @3.35/sh
Common Stock Options granted 01/02/02 150,000 shs @3.81/sh
Common Stock Options granted 05/30/02  60,000 shs @5.18/sh
Common Stock Options granted 02/12/03 140,000 shs @3.55/sh
                        TOTAL         990,000 shares</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>John Bily as Power of Attorney for David Bailey</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-05-29</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
