Executive Summary

"Positive performance in the U.S. contact lens care market" is not enough to prevent an 8.3% drop in worldwide contact lens care sales to $72.9 mil. for the first quarter, the company announces April 27. Global Consept F sales dropped 15.4% to $8.8 mil., while Complete sales increased 44.3%, reflecting "transition from multibottle oxidative systems to non-oxidative, one-bottle systems," Allergan says. Contact lens sales declined 7% to $5.6 mil. at constant currency levels. A 20.8% increase in consolidated sales to $376.2 mil. for the quarter led to a 24.3% improvement in net earnings, which reached $43.5 mil compared to the year-ago period