Alcon reports mixed results

Eye care company Alcon's third quarter results have revealed a 12.4 per cent increase in global sales to $1.2m (£639,000) over the third quarter of 2005.

Net profit over the same period fell by 21.5 per cent from $295.8m to $232.1m, due in part to a $92m impairment charge related to assets of Alcon's refractive laser business.

Consumer eye care sales rose 19.7 per cent to $178.4m with a sales growth for contact lens disinfectants of 28.7 per cent.

The Swiss company said its Opti-Free family of multi-purpose disinfecting solutions continued to benefit from the permanent withdrawal of Bausch & Lomb's ReNu with MoistureLoc in the second quarter of 2006.