EXHIBIT 24.4

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

    The undersigned, a Director of Edwards Lifesciences Corporation, a Delaware
corporation (the "Corporation"), does hereby constitute and appoint Michael A.
Mussallem or Bruce J. Bentcover (each acting alone and without the other) his or
her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power and authority to
execute in the name and on behalf of the undersigned as such Director, a
Registration Statement on Form S-8 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the "Securities Act"), with respect to the registration under the Securities
Act of the offer and sale of up to 4,000,000 shares of the Corporation's Common
Stock, $1.00 par value per share, and the associated Preferred Stock Purchase
Rights that may be issued pursuant to the Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
401(k) Savings and Investment Plan, and to execute any and all amendments to
such Registration Statement, whether filed prior or subsequent to the time such
Registration Statement becomes effective, and to file the same, with all
exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. The undersigned hereby grants unto each such
attorney-in-fact and agent full power of substitution and revocation in the
premises and hereby ratifies and confirms all that each such attorney-in-fact
and agent, or his substitute or substitutes, may do or cause to be done by
virtue of these presents.


                                                   
                                                      Dated this 19th day of December, 2000.

                                                      /s/ PHILIP M. NEAL
                                                      ------------------------------------------------
                                                      Philip M. Neal