Bausch + Lomb’s Rochester site positioned as key hub for next-gen contact lens production

Listen to this article

Bausch + Lomb Corp.’s Rochester manufacturing site is set to play a major role in the company’s contact lens rollout over the next several years. 

The global eye health company, founded in Rochester, held an investor day at the New York Stock Exchange on Nov. 13, where leaders outlined Bausch + Lomb’s transformation and strategic growth plan. 

Chairman and CEO Brent Saunders said the company has redefined how it operates and innovates, positioning it for sustained success. 

“This is a defining moment in our history to become the best eye health company in the world,” Saunders said. “I’m confident in where we are headed.” 

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Sam Eldessouky detailed a three-year plan aimed at driving sustainable, profitable growth.  

He noted that Bausch + Lomb’s revenue has been outpacing the market, with the next phase focused on maintaining momentum, expanding profitability and advancing the research and development pipeline. 

Eldessouky reaffirmed the company’s 2025 guidance of revenues between $5.05 billion and $5.15 billion and expects continued growth through 2028. 

“The scale of opportunities here is remarkable,” he said. 

A significant portion of the event centered on Bausch + Lomb’s rebuilt product pipeline, highlighting potential breakthroughs across its business units —including contact lenses. 

Yehia Hashad, M.D., executive vice president of R&D and chief medical officer, introduced “Project Halo,” a bioactive technology platform for contact lenses incorporating hyaluronic acid (HA) to enhance moisture and comfort. 

Bryan Reed, vice president of Vision Care R&D who is based in Rochester, said the HA lens — the first of its kind — is expected to launch in 2028. 

In 2029, Bausch + Lomb plans to introduce three additional products under its silicone hydrogel line, including a daily disposable lens, a monthly lens and a lens designed to slow myopia progression, especially in children and teens.

Reed said the Rochester site, along with the company’s Waterford, Ireland facility, will handle most of the manufacturing for these new lenses. The Rochester plant will leverage existing production lines for the upcoming products — a move Hashad said could drive both cost savings and margin expansion. 

Headquartered in Vaughan, Ontario, with U.S. offices in Bridgewater, N.J., Bausch + Lomb employs roughly 1,175 people in Rochester and 13,000 worldwide, operating in nearly 100 countries. 

The company’s legacy of innovation includes developing the first soft contact lenses in 1971 and founding the Ray-Ban brand in 1937. 

The 1.1-million-square-foot Rochester facility on North Goodman Street sits on 57 acres and manufactures hundreds of millions of contact lenses annually for patients around the world. 

In 2021, Bausch + Lomb completed a 115,000-square-foot expansion that added production lines for INFUSE Multifocal silicone hydrogel daily disposable lenses. 

Matt Place, executive director of Rochester operations, said the first two lines are operational, the third is ramping up and the fourth is being installed. 

He added that the site, active since the 1970s, maintains strong environmental commitments — including hosting one of Monroe County’s largest solar farms and achieving zero-waste-to-landfill certification. 

New technologies, such as artificial intelligence, are being integrated to enhance production efficiency and quality, he added. 

The Rochester site is also actively hiring, hosting job fairs and partnering with local schools for workforce development. Apprenticeships and direct hires have come from Monroe Community College, Rochester Institute of Technology and the University of Rochester. 

In addition, the facility works with several regional firms for equipment and technology needs. 

“The contact lens manufacturing process is intensive and highly technical,” Place said, adding that being in Rochester, with its deep roots in innovation and abundance of exceptional universities, is an advantage. 

[email protected] / (585) 653-4021