CooperVision has acquired scleral lens manufacturer, Blanchard.

“The acquisition further expands our scleral lens portfolio, extending the way we help improve the way people see each day,” said Juan Carlos Aragón, president of CooperVision’s specialty eyecare division. “Its innovative products, services, technologies and people will augment what we are building with Paragon, Procornea, and Soflex. This creates more opportunities for CooperVision to partner with eye care professionals (ECPs), and for them to meet a range of patient needs.”

Blanchard has a network of distributors in North America, Europe (including Scandinavia), Central America and South America and its products are available in more than 20 countries. It recently introduced its OneFit MED scleral lens.

“The new relationship with CooperVision will be instrumental in extending our reach and potential, providing access to a broad range of research, operations and commercial resources for the benefit of customers and wearers,” said Jean Blanchard, who will continue to lead the eponymous organisation. He has also been appointed a member of the CooperVision specialty eyecare global management team.

Founded in 1986, Blanchard has operations in Quebec, Canada and New Hampshire, United States, and employs approximately 70 people. Like CooperVision’s other specialty businesses, it will retain its name and continue to operate as a separate yet complementary organisation. Customers should continue to work with their current representatives, it says.