IRIDEX SUPPORTS ‘EYES OF AFRICA’ PROGRAM
The 810nm OcuLight SLx will fulfill an essential role in the Malawi eye clinic.
Mountain View Calif., April 10, 2016— IRIDEX Corporation (Nasdaq: IRIX) is pleased to announce the donation of an 810 nm OcuLight SLx to the Eyes of Africa Project in Malawi. The Iridex 810nm OcuLight SLx is a multifunctional laser that can be used to perform retinal photocoagulation and glaucoma procedures in three different laser energy modalities: CW-Pulse, Long-Pulse and MicroPulse.
Approximately 1% of Malawi’s population is bilaterally blind, 80% of whom are blinded by preventable and treatable conditions. The Sponsel Foundation, Right to Sight, and the International Society of Glaucoma Surgery have partnered with Child Legacy International (CLI) to create a permanent, sustainable eye clinic.
“It was absolutely essential that we have a laser for this clinic,” said William Sponsel, MD, founder of the Sponsel Foundation and a driving force in the establishment of the Eyes of Africa project. “Laser therapy for glaucoma is exceptionally effective in Africans, and in a place where most people cannot afford topical hypotensives, MicroPulse laser trabeculoplasty is the go-to treatment for glaucoma. In addition, we frequently need to perform iridotomies or even cyclodestructive procedures in patients who have so little central vision that inflammation is not an issue but we still need to address the other symptoms of chronic high pressures such as headaches and heartbeat irregularities.”
CLI has a unique and effective approach to development, bringing real change to one of the poorest and least developed countries in the entire world. They use wind and solar energy to power the clinic, hospital and surgical ward, in addition to staff housing, guest quarters and indoor plumbing. Renewable energy allows them to serve areas outside of the national electricity grid, an unreliable system even when available. In addition to providing world-class healthcare services to over 150,000 people, CLI’s Malawi site also supports programs for clean water, sustainable agriculture, education, and marketable skills development.
“Bureaucratic hurdles and lack of infrastructure in many developing nations often prohibit the establishment of effective medical clinics. CLI has made it possible for us to establish a world-class facility in Malawi,” said Dr. Sponsel. “I’ve had my Iridex laser for as long as I’ve had a clinic in the United States, and it’s a fantastic machine. I’ve treated so many patients with it I’ve lost count, and it never fails. I knew that I wanted one for Malawi, and I’m so grateful for Iridex who was immediately on-board with this project.”
About Child Legacy International
Child Legacy International Inc. is a Christian non-profit organization working in Africa to transform lives by providing opportunities that break the generational cycle of poverty and despair, and support each person’s pursuit of their God-given destiny. To learn more visit, https://www.childlegacy.org
About IRIDEX
IRIDEX Corporation was founded in 1989 and is a worldwide leader in developing, manufacturing, and marketing innovative and versatile laser-based medical systems, delivery devices and consumable instrumentation for the ophthalmology market. We maintain a deep commitment to the success of our customers, with comprehensive technical, clinical, and service support programs. IRIDEX is dedicated to a standard of excellence, offering superior technology for superior results. IRIDEX products are sold in the United States through a direct sales force and internationally through a combination of a direct sales force and a network of approximately 70 independent distributors into over 100 countries. For further information, visit the IRIDEX website at http://www.iridex.com/.