Wesley-Jessen

Wesley-Jessen was a prominent American manufacturer of specialty contact lenses, recognized as a pioneer in the development of colored and prosthetic lenses. The company was best known for its FreshLook and Durasoft brands, which dominated the cosmetic contact lens market by allowing users to change or enhance their natural eye color. Headquartered in Des Plaines, Illinois, Wesley-Jessen focused on the innovation of molded lens technology and specialty designs for astigmatism and presbyopia. In 2000, the company was acquired by CIBA Vision, a unit of Novartis, for approximately $1.5 billion. Its products and technologies were subsequently integrated into the Alcon vision care portfolio following the merger of CIBA Vision and Alcon.