Bausch + Lomb and Prevent Blindness Launch Educational Campaign During Cataract Awareness Month

Organizations Also Launch Social Media Donation Program to Support Prevent Blindness and Broaden Patients' Access to Cataract Surgery and Care During June's Cataract Awareness Month

LAVAL, QC and CHICAGO, June 1, 2021 /CNW/ -- Bausch + Lomb, a leading global eye health business of Bausch Health Companies Inc. (NYSE/TSX: BHC) ("Bausch Health"), and Prevent Blindness, the nation's oldest volunteer eye health non-profit organization, today announced that they are joining forces during Cataract Awareness Month in June to educate the public and raise awareness of the symptoms, causes and treatment options for cataracts, the leading cause of vision loss in the United States and the leading cause of blindness worldwide.¹

Treatment options include cataract surgery, which is one of the most effective and common medical procedures with an overall success rate of 99 percent when performed in appropriate settings.² Approximately four million cataract surgeries are performed each year in the United States.³ However, anxiety around the operation itself is experienced by many cataract surgery patients leading up to the procedure.⁴

"As a leader in eye health, Bausch + Lomb is proud to raise awareness of this incredibly common eye condition and its treatment options, particularly following the interruptions seen in routine medical healthcare as a result of the pandemic," said Joe Gordon, U.S. president, Bausch + Lomb. "We share this commitment with Prevent Blindness, an incredible organization that goes to extreme lengths to help people, and we look forward to working with them to provide people affected by cataracts with information and resources to support their care."

Throughout June, Bausch + Lomb and Prevent Blindness will post content on their social media pages to share facts and helpful information about cataracts and cataract surgery. Bausch + Lomb will also donate $1* to Prevent Blindness sight-saving fund for every "share" or "like" of certain posts from the Bausch + Lomb Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BauschandLomb/ during the month of June. Proceeds will support Prevent Blindness' education and advocacy work aimed at ensuring all people have access to cataract surgery and care.

"As the population in America continues to age, the number of cataract cases are projected to increase by 50 percent to 38.5 million by 2032,⁵" said Jeff Todd, president and CEO, Prevent Blindness. "It is critical that we educate early and often about cataracts and the effectiveness of cataract surgery. Through this campaign with Bausch + Lomb, we are providing resources and information to help people affected by cataracts understand their treatment options."

For information on cataracts, visit the Prevent Blindness website at https://preventblindness.org/cataract/. For a listing of vision care organizations and services that provide financial assistance programs in English or Spanish, visit https://preventblindness.org/vision-care-financial-assistance-information/.

About Cataracts and Cataract Surgery
A cataract is the clouding of the normally clear lens of the eye most commonly caused by aging.⁶ An ophthalmic surgeon removes the cloudy lens and replaces it with a clear, artificial implant called an intraocular lens (IOL).⁷ According to the U.S. National Eye Institute, cataract surgery is one of the safest, most common and effective surgical procedures performed in the United States.⁸ In most cases, people experience improved vision after the procedure.⁸

About Prevent Blindness
Founded in 1908, Prevent Blindness is the nation's leading volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving sight. Focused on promoting a continuum of vision care, Prevent Blindness touches the lives of millions of people each year through public and professional education, advocacy, certified vision screening and training, community and patient service programs and research. These services are made possible through the generous support of the American public. Together with a network of affiliates, Prevent Blindness is committed to eliminating preventable blindness in America. For more information, visit us at preventblindness.org, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

About Bausch + Lomb
Bausch + Lomb, a leading global eye health business of Bausch Health Companies Inc., is solely focused on helping people see better. Its core businesses include over-the-counter products, dietary supplements, eye care products, ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, contact lenses, lens care products, ophthalmic surgical devices and instruments. Bausch + Lomb develops, manufactures and markets one of the most comprehensive product portfolios in the industry, which is available in approximately 100 countries. For more information, visit www.bausch.com.

About Bausch Health
Bausch Health Companies Inc. (NYSE/TSX: BHC) is a global company whose mission is to improve people's lives with our health care products. We develop, manufacture and market a range of pharmaceutical, medical device and over-the-counter products, primarily in the therapeutic areas of eye health, gastroenterology and dermatology. We are delivering on our commitments as we build an innovative company dedicated to advancing global health. For more information, visit www.bauschhealth.com and connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Forward-looking Statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements, which may generally be identified by the use of the words "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "should," "could," "would," "may," "believes," "estimates," "potential," "target," or "continue" and variations or similar expressions. These statements are based upon the current expectations and beliefs of management and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risks and uncertainties discussed in Bausch Health's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and detailed from time to time in Bausch Health's other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Canadian Securities Administrators, which factors are incorporated herein by reference. They also include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties caused by or relating to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, and the fear of that pandemic and its potential effects, the severity, duration and future impact of which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, and which may have a material adverse impact on Bausch Health, including but not limited to its project development timelines, and costs (which may increase). Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. Bausch Health undertakes no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news release or to reflect actual outcomes, unless required by law.

References

1. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/visionhealth/basics/ced/index.html#:~:text=external%20icon-,Cataract,can%20be%20present%20at%20birth. Accessed April 2, 2021.
2. Market Scope 2019 Annual Sponsored US Cataract Surgeon Survey Report.
3. Market Scope Q3 manufacturers survey.
4. Ramirez DA, Brodie FL, Rose-Nussbaumer J, Ramanathan S. Anxiety in patients undergoing cataract surgery: a pre- and postoperative comparison. Clin Ophthalmol. 2017;11:1979-1986. Published 2017 Nov 10. doi:10.2147/OPTH.S146135.
5. Prevent Blindness. Retrieved from: https://preventblindness.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Future_of_Vision_final_0.pdf Accessed May 6, 2021.
6. American Academy of Ophthalmology. Retrieved from https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-are-cataracts. Accessed March 20, 2021.
7. American Academy of Ophthalmology. Retrieved from https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-cataract-surgery. Accessed April 2, 2021.
8. National Eye Institute Website. Retrieved from https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/cataracts/cataract-surgery. Accessed April 2, 2021.

*Bausch + Lomb will donate $1 to the organization Prevent Blindness for every Facebook like or share, up to $50,000, from 6/1/2021 through 6/30/2021.

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SOURCE Bausch Health Companies Inc.