Alcon, Inc. is offering attendees of the American Optometric Association (AOA) Optometry’s Meeting 2025 a first glimpse of its newly FDA-approved dry eye disease (DED) treatment, as well as—among other updates—a brand new partnership and upgraded features to its MARLO digital ordering platform.
Lots of happenings! Let’s start with this MARLO update.
Originally debuting in March 2024 as an upgrade to Alcon’s original MARLO online contact lens ordering service platform, the MARLO app is available as a downloadable iPhone app.
Included in its services for both patients and eyecare professionals (ECPs):
- A contact lens ordering and reordering portal
- Educational resources and automated reordering notification reminders
- Patient trends and insights monitoring on order placements
And this new feature?
First: Take a look at the existing features accompanying the app (including an ECP locator for MARLO-using optometrists and a pre-exam lifestyle questionnaire).
As for the new addition: Mirror Import.
Its purpose: Streamlining patient entry into the MARLO app to assist clinical practices with capturing order data points from their electronic health records (EHR) and point of service (POS) by automatically populating selected order information.
- The intended result: First, reduced manual entry errors, and second, time saved for clinical practice staff.
Refresh: A POS plan is a managed-care health insurance plan that offers different benefits for using in-network or out-of-network providers.
And what advantages come with it?
The new feature is designed to offer flexibility for MARLO users (ECPs and their practices) who do not want to integrate their EHR.
Take note: Alcon shared that all membership levels will have access to this.
As for a timeframe for when the Mirror Import will be available: That’s to be determined.
Next up: Tell us about this partnership.
Alcon also announced a new collaboration with Revolution EHR, an all-in-one, cloud-based EHR and practice management software (PMS) for optometrists.
Some info on Revolution EHR:
- Over 14,000 ECPs are reported to use the software (with a 97% retention rate)
- A practice can be run on this platform from a single dashboard screen with built-in billing, payments, and patient engagement
- The platform is accessible on any device, enabling ECPs to manage patient data or check their schedule on the go
And how will Alcon benefit from the collaboration?
Via its MARLO app, according to the company.
Specifically: The intent behind this is to enhance optometrists’ overall experience with the contact lens ordering app by utilizing Revolution EHR’s software to streamline patient entry directly into MARLO—complete with full EHR integration.
Take note: This integration is expected later in the summer.
Very cool! Now, let's talk about Alcon’s recent DED treatment developments.
As we reported late last month, the FDA granted approval for acoltremon ophthalmic solution 0.003%—better known as TRYPTYR (pronounced trip-tear).
A few details on this: The prescription-based pharmaceutical eye drop is intended to be instilled in each eye twice daily (BID), approximately 12 hours apart.
- Check out its full prescribing information (PI)
- See here for some background on what makes it unique
- And get a rundown on the clinical data supporting its safety and efficacy (including the major increase in natural tear production among users by Day 14
And what’s groundbreaking about the eye drop?
Clinically speaking: As the latest addition to Alcon’s dry eye portfolio, TRYTPYR is considered the first corneal nerve-stimulating eye drop to directly address tear deficiency (which leads to DED).
From a business perspective: It’s also Alcon’s first FDA-approved prescription-based pharmaceutical treatment since the company became a publicly traded company.
Speaking of its dry eye portfolio, didn’t Alcon recently introduce another product?
Indeed—back in February. That over-the-counter (OTC) product: SYSTANE PRO Preservative-Free (PF) eye drops.
Its claim to fame: The triple-action, PF formula is clinically proven to provide up to 12 hours of dry eye symptom relief by locking in moisture and reducing tear evaporation.
- Plus: It’s marketed as “the longest lasting eye drop” in Alcon’s SYSTANE portfolio of artificial tears—check out all the details on it here.
Nice! Any other recent product approvals or launches we missed?
Depends on your definition of “recent” … but we’d be remiss if we didn’t at least mention Alcon’s PRECISION7 1-week sphere and toric contact lenses.
While these were first introduced during the 2024 American Academy of Optometry (AAO) annual meeting last November, the lenses made their widespread U.S. launch in early 2025.
What makes these unlike any other lenses: PRECISION7 is a weekly lens marketed as being “closest to a daily disposable lens,” as possible—and is intended to give wearers 16 hours of comfort and vision.
- Check out all the details on this (including how Alcon’s proprietary ACTIVE-FLO System plays a major role as a moisturizing agent within the lens itself
Are all three products being featured at AOA?.
You bet they are! Attendees can stop by the Alcon booth (#721) to learn more about them.