Allergan’s Cataract Lens Approved by FDA

Allergan Inc., an Irvine maker of eye- and skin-care products, said Thursday that it has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration to market its latest intraocular lens to be used in cataract surgery.

Allergan said its Sensar product is a next-generation acrylic lens designed to minimize certain side effects of some acrylic lenses now on the market. The Sensar will complement Allergan’s existing products for small-incision cataract surgery.

A cataract is the condition in which the natural refractive lens in the eye becomes progressively cloudy. Usually age-related, this clouding obstructs the passage of light and can lead to functional blindness.

Cataracts are generally treated by surgically removing the natural clouded lens and replacing it with an artificial lens. An estimated 6 million artificial lenses were implanted in patients worldwide last year, the company said.