<PAGE>

                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.26

                            STOCK OPTION CERTIFICATE

      This Stock Option Certificate is entered into between STAAR Surgical
Company, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), whose principal executive
office is located at 1911 Walker Avenue, Monrovia, California 91016, and DAVID
BAILEY (the "Recipient") whose address is 1911 Walker Avenue, Monrovia,
California 91016, pursuant to that certain 1998 STAAR Surgical Company Stock
Plan (the "Plan") adopted by the Board of Directors on April 17, 1998 and
approved by the shareholders on May 29, 1998.

      1. GRANT OF OPTION. This Stock Option Certificate certifies that the
Company has granted to the Recipient, pursuant to the terms of the Plan, a stock
option (the "Option") to purchase, in whole or in part, sixty thousand (60,000)
shares of the Company's voting common stock, par value $.01 (the "Common Stock")
(collectively and severally, the "Option Shares"), at the price of five dollars
and nineteen cents ($5.19) per Option Share (the "Option Price"), subject to the
following terms and conditions. The date of this grant May 30, 2002 (the "Grant
Date").

      2. PLAN; PLAN SUMMARY. The Recipient's rights to purchase the Option
Shares are governed by the Plan, the terms of which are incorporated herein by
this reference.

      3. CHARACTER OF OPTION. This Option is [__] a Non-Qualified Option or is
[X] an Incentive Option.

      4. CAPACITY OF RECIPIENT. This Option is granted to the Recipient in the
Recipient's capacity as (i) [__] an employee, (ii) [X] a director, or (iii) [__]
a consultant.

      5. EXPIRATION OF OPTION. The right to exercise the Options granted by this
Stock Option Certificate shall expire and be null and void and of no further
force or effect to the extent not exercised by 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, on the
30th day of May, 2007 (the "Option Expiration Date").

      6. EXERCISE VESTING CONDITIONS. The Option is (i) [__] fully vested upon
date of grant, or (ii) [X] subject to the following vesting schedule as well
as based upon Recipient's continued performance of services in the capacity
hereinabove indicated:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                Cumulative Vested
                  Percentage of
    Date             Shares
------------    -----------------
<S>             <C>
May 30, 2002       33 1/3%
May 30, 2003       66 2/3%
May 30, 2004        100.0%
</TABLE>

      7. MANNER OF EXERCISE AND PAYMENT. This Option shall be exercised by
delivery of this Option Certificate to the Secretary of the Company, together
with:

<PAGE>

            (a) A Consent of Spouse (as such consent is defined in the Plan)
      from the spouse of the Recipient, if any, duly signed by such spouse; and

            (b) Full payment for the Option Shares to be purchased in goods
      funds (in U.S. dollars) by cash or check or through a "same day sale"
      commitment from the Recipient and a broker-dealer that is a member of the
      National Association of Securities Dealers (an "NASD Dealer") whereby the
      Recipient irrevocably elects to exercise the Option and to sell a portion
      of the Option Shares so purchased to pay for the Option Price, and whereby
      the NASD Dealer irrevocably commits upon receipt of such Option Shares to
      forward the Option Price directly to the Company.

      8. FORFEITURE; VESTING CONDITIONS. This Option (i) [__] will be fully
vested on date of grant, or (ii) [X] will be subject to Article V, Section
5.05 and Article X of the Plan, inasmuch as the Option will be subject to: (A)
the vesting schedule set forth above and (B) the special rules regulating
vesting and forfeiture on Termination of Recipient.

      9. RECIPIENTS REPRESENTATIONS. The Recipient represents that the Recipient
has received a Section 10(a) Prospectus, which explains the administration and
operation of the Plan, and has received a copy of the Plan.

      10. MISCELLANEOUS.

            (a) PREPARATION OF STOCK OPTION CERTIFICATE. This Stock Option
Certificate was prepared by the Company or its legal counsel solely on behalf of
the Company. It is acknowledged by the Recipient that he or she was not
represented by the Company or any of its officers, directors, employees or
agents (including the Company's legal counsel) in connection with the
transaction contemplated by this Stock Option Certificate, and that the
Recipient had separate and independent advice of counsel. In light of the
foregoing it is acknowledged by the Recipient that the Company shall not be
construed to be solely responsible for the drafting hereof, and that any
ambiguity in the Plan or this Stock Option Certificate, or the interpretation
thereof or hereof, shall not be construed against the Company as the alleged
draftsman of this Stock Option Certificate.

            (b) INTERPRETATION.

                  (i) Entire Agreement/No Collateral Representations. The
Recipient acknowledges and agrees that this Stock Option Certificate, together
with and subject to the Plan: (1) is the final, complete and exclusive statement
of the agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof; (2)
supersedes any prior or contemporaneous agreements or understandings of any
kind, oral or written (collectively and severally, the "prior agreements"), and
that any such prior agreements are of no force or effect except as expressly set
forth herein; and (3) may not be varied, supplemented or contradicted by
evidence of prior agreements, or by evidence of subsequent oral agreements.

                  (ii) Amendment; Waiver. Except as expressly otherwise provided
herein, neither this Stock Option Certificate nor any of its terms may be
amended, supplemented,

<PAGE>

discharged or terminated (other than by performance), except as provided in the
Plan or by a written instrument or instruments signed by all of the parties to
this Stock Option Certificate. No waiver of any acts or obligations hereunder
shall be effective unless such waiver shall be in a written instrument or
instruments signed by each party claimed to have given or consented to such
waiver and each party affected by such waiver.

                  (iii) Severability. If any term or provision of this Stock
Option Certificate or the application thereof to any person or circumstance
shall, to any extent, be determined to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable
under present or future laws effective during the term of this Stock Option
Certificate, then, and in that event: (A) the performance of the offending term
or provision (but only to the extent its application is invalid, illegal or
unenforceable) shall be excused as if it had never been incorporated into this
Stock Option Certificate, and, in lieu of such excused provision, there shall be
added a provision as similar in terms and amount to such excused provision as
may be possible and be legal, valid and enforceable, and (B) the remaining part
of this Stock Option Certificate (including the application of the offending
term or provision to persons or circumstances other than those as to which it is
held invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not be affected thereby and shall
continue in full force and effect to the fullest extent provided by law.

            (c) ENFORCEMENT. This Stock Option Certificate and the rights and
remedies of each party arising out of or relating to this Stock Option
Certificate shall be solely governed in accordance with the laws (without regard
to the conflicts of law principles thereof) of the state of Delaware.

            (d) SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. The Recipient may not assign his rights
or benefits or delegate any of his duties or obligations under this Stock Option
Certificate, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the
Company, except pursuant to the terms of the Plan. Subject to the foregoing, all
of the representations, warranties, covenants, conditions and provisions of this
Stock Option Certificate shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of
each party and such party's respective successors and permitted assigns,
spouses, heirs, executors, administrators, and personal and legal
representatives.

            (e) NOTICES. Unless otherwise specifically provided in this Stock
Option Certificate, all notices, demands, requests, consents, approvals or other
communications (collectively and severally called "notices") required or
permitted to be given hereunder, or which are given with respect to this Stock
Option Certificate, shall be in writing, and shall be given by: (A) personal
delivery (which form of notice shall be deemed to have been given upon
delivery), (B) by telegraph or by private airborne/overnight delivery service
(which forms of notice shall be deemed to have been given upon confirmed
delivery by the delivery agency), (C) by electronic or facsimile or telephonic
transmission, provided the receiving party has a compatible device or confirms
receipt thereof (which forms of notice shall be deemed delivered upon confirmed
transmission or confirmation of receipt), or (D) by mailing in the United States
mail by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid
(which forms of notice shall be deemed to have been given upon the fifth {5th}
business day following the date mailed).

      WHEREFORE, the parties hereto have for purposes of this Stock Option
Certificate

<PAGE>

executed this Stock Option Certificate in the City of Monrovia, County of Los
Angeles, State of California, effective as of the 14th day of February 2003.

                                    COMPANY:

                                    STAAR Surgical Company,
                                    a Delaware corporation

                                    By:  /s/ John Bily
                                         ------------------------
                                         John C. Bily, Secretary
ATTEST:

                  [SEAL]

                                   RECIPIENT:

                                         /s/ David Bailey
                                         ------------------------

<PAGE>

                                    EXHIBIT A
                                       TO
                            STOCK OPTION CERTIFICATE

                       NOTICE OF EXERCISE OF STOCK OPTION

<PAGE>

                       NOTICE OF EXERCISE OF STOCK OPTION

          [To be signed by the Recipient only upon exercise of Option]

TO:        Secretary
           STAAR Surgical Company
           1911 Walker Avenue
           Monrovia, California 91016

      The undersigned, the holder of an Option under that certain Stock Option
Certificate dated effective the ___ day of _____, ______ (the "Option
Certificate"), between STAAR Surgical Company, a Delaware corporation (the
"Company") and the undersigned (the "Recipient"), hereby irrevocably elects, in
accordance with the terms and conditions of that certain 1998 STAAR Surgical
Company Stock Plan (the "Plan") adopted by the Board of Directors on April 17,
1998 and approved by the shareholders on May 29, 1998, under which the Option
Certificate was granted, to exercise the undersigned's Option to purchase_____
( )(1) shares of the Company's voting common stock, $ .01 per share par value
("Common Stock") (collectively and severally, the "Option Shares"), for the
aggregate purchase price of ($____)(2).

(1)   Insert number of Option Shares as specified in the Option Certificate
      which are vested Option Shares (as defined by the Plan) which the
      Recipient is exercising the Option to purchase.

(2)   Number of Option Shares to be exercised as hereinabove specified
      multiplied by the Option Price per share.

                           Signature:_________________________________

                           Print Name:________________________________

                           Address:___________________________________

                           ___________________________________________

                                                          Date:________________










