Sept 2 (Reuters) - Broadwood Partners, the largest

shareholder in medical technology company STAAR Surgical ( STAA )

, intends to vote against Alcon's proposed

acquisition of the company, it said on Tuesday.

Broadwood said that the Swiss eye care group's offer did

not reflect STAAR's recent financial improvements.

Alcon said in early August that the boards of both

companies had approved its offer of $28 per STAAR share, valuing

the business at $1.5 billion.

Investment firm Broadwood, which holds a 27.5% stake in

U.S.-based STAAR, said it was disappointed with STAAR's board

for choosing to sell the company "without pursuing an adequate

sale process". It urged the company to reconsider its

recommendation of the offer.

STARR said last month that the transaction was anticipated

to close in approximately six to 12 months, subject to

regulatory approval and approval by STAAR's shareholders.

STAAR and Alcon did not immediately respond to requests for

comment.

Broadwood also raised concerns over the timing of the

proposed deal in relation to an upcoming clinical trial

publication.

According to Broadwood, the trial compares Alcon's Lasik

technology with STAAR's Evo ICL lenses, a competing product.

"STAAR and its shareholders have long seen the

opportunity for a further market share shift away from LASIK,"

it said in a press release.