Bausch & Lomb, which makes contact lenses and lens care solutions, has reported a 27 per cent decline in fourth-quarter profits as sales for its vision care and pharmaceuticals business slowed.

However, a company spokesman in Ireland said the results had no implications for its Waterford plant, which employs 1,700.

It is understood that revenues from contact lenses grew 1 per cent, driven by sales of the company's newer contact lens products, including SofLens 66 which is made in Waterford.