                                                                    Exhibit 99.1
                                                                    ------------


   FDA Ophthalmic Devices Advisory Panel Recommends Approval With Conditions
                              Of The STAAR ICL(TM)

 ICL Should Be First Phakic IOL Approved for Treatment of Myopia in the U.S.

    MONROVIA, Calif., Oct 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- STAAR Surgical Company
(Nasdaq: STAA), a leading developer, manufacturer and marketer of minimally
invasive ophthalmic products, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration's (FDA) Ophthalmic Devices Panel of the Center for Devices
and Radiological Health (CDRH) voted 8-3 late Friday afternoon to recommend
that the STAAR Implantable Contact Lens (ICL) be approved with conditions
for use in correcting myopia in the range of -3 diopters to -15 diopters and
reducing myopia in the range of -15 diopters to -20 diopters. The conditions
recommended by the panel primarily concerned post market surveillance of the
patients currently enrolled in the PMA cohort, as well as labeling
recommendations that will be further defined by the FDA.

    The Ophthalmic Devices Panel is comprised primarily of practicing
ophthalmologists with a wide range of expertise, research focus and clinical
experience. Its purpose is to advise the FDA staff regarding issues they
should consider when evaluating devices for approval. Although the FDA is
not bound by the recommendations of its advisory panels, it has historically
followed their advice. The FDA will consider these recommendations as it
completes its expedited review of the ICL Pre-Market Approval application
for the -3 to -20 diopter range that was submitted on May 8, 2003. If
approved, the ICL will be the first phakic intraocular lens available
commercially in the United States for the treatment of myopia.

    "We are extremely pleased with the panel's recommendation and vote of
confidence and look forward to working with the FDA staff to complete the
review of the ICL," said David Bailey, president and CEO of STAAR Surgical.
"The panel recommendation comes after the presentation of significant data
that demonstrated extremely high patient satisfaction levels with the ICL as
well as excellent post-operative visual acuity and is a great achievement
for the entire STAAR team."

    According to Dr. Helene Lamielle, Chief Scientific Officer of STAAR
Surgical, the panel's main issue concerned endothelial cell density
stabilization in patients implanted with the ICL. "We appreciate the panel's
concern for longer follow-up regarding endothelial cell loss and look
forward to providing a steady stream of information regarding this topic. We
believe that our most comprehensive four-year data shows a trend for
stabilization between three and four years after implantation, and we are
committed to extending the follow-up of patients in the cohort, as
recommended by the Panel."

    The STAAR ICL is a phakic refractive lens that provides state-of-the-art
treatment for the most prevalent sight deficiencies -- near-sightedness and
far-sightedness. There are approximately 56 million Americans afflicted with
near-sightedness in the U.S. Out of the 56 million patients, the Company
estimates that the target market for the lens, based on the range of
diopters recommended for approval by the panel, is approximately 8 million
people.

    The panel's recommendations were based on clinical three-year follow-up
data in which the ICL demonstrated a 99.4% patient satisfaction rate among
the PMA cohort. The data also indicated that 95% of the patients with good
pre-operative vision and targeted for zero postoperative correction
(emmetropia) had uncorrected visual acuities of 20/40 or better after
receiving the ICL and that 57% had uncorrected visual acuities equal or
better than their best corrected visual acuity preoperatively.

    The Company is presently enrolling candidates in the clinical trial for
the hyperopic ICL as well as the Toric ICL, which reduces myopia combined
with astigmatism.

    "We look forward to commercialization of the ICL in the US. This is a
landmark recommendation -- it is the first refractive intraocular lens
recommended for approval in the US market. The recommended range of -3D to
-20D is exactly what our PMA requested. Our entire organization is extremely
excited about this development," summarized Mr. Bailey.

    STAAR's ICL has received CE Marking, is approved for sale in 37
countries and has been implanted in more than 30,000 eyes worldwide.

    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 Implantable Contact Lens as well as innovative products
designed to improve patient outcomes for cataracts and glaucoma.

    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 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,
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 and does not intend to update these forward-looking
statements.

    CONTACT:  investors, Douglas Sherk, +1-415-896-6818, or Jennifer Cohn,
415-896-6817, or media, Sheryl Seapy, +1-415-272-3323, all of EVC Group, for
STAAR Surgical Company.

SOURCE  STAAR Surgical Company
        http://www.staar.com/
       (STAA)




