Alcon reports sales surge

Alcon recorded global sales for the second quarter of $1,471.5m, an increase of 12.3 per cent over second quarter figures for 2006.

Cary Rayment, Alcon's chairman, president and CEO, said that all major product categories had achieved double-digit sales growth.

Consumer eye care sales increased 11.6 per cent to $205.3m, led by a 15.5 per cent rise in sales of contact lens disinfectants, with sales of Opt-Free disinfecting solutions benefiting from May's global recall of a competitor solution.

Opti-Free RepleniSH contributed to growth in the quarter, with sales of artificial tears up 17.3 per cent primarily due to Systane lubricant drops.