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The contact lens market is resistant to recession and will grow by 3-5 per cent in 2010 according to Robert S Weiss, president and chief executive officer of The Cooper Companies, which includes contact lens manufacturer CooperVision.

Speaking in a conference call to the press about fourth quarter earnings for the period ended October 31, Weiss said: 'Our new products are driving our growth, our emerging silicone hydrogel portfolio is delivering for the quarter. We had $40m in silicone hydrogel revenue, up 117 per cent versus the prior year.' Weiss also disclosed that CooperVision's Proclear family of products 'put up some solid numbers at $70m in the quarter', an increase of 14 per cent on the same period last year.

With sales for the quarter rising 6 per cent to $283.5m from $266.8m, the company posted a record $1.080bn in revenue for the entire fiscal year, an increase of around 3 per cent.

The company said it expected the market for soft contact lenses to experience global growth next year of 3-5 per cent in constant currency and for CooperVision to grow between 4-6 per cent in constant currency.

It also revealed that in 2010 it would expand its Biofinity brand by launching a Biofinity multifocal and grow the Avaira brand, by adding a toric.

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