FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                   

Kelley Daspit, APR
Director of Community Relations
Contact:  704-878-7447-office

PATIENTS AT IREDELL MEMORIAL HOSPITAL ARE SAYING GOOD BYE TO CATARACTS AND ASTIGMATISM WITH ONE PROCEDURE

(Statesville, NC – November 17, 2008) – Iredell Memorial Hospital announced today that Dr. John Gillis, ophthalmologist, of Horizon Eye Care has introduced a new surgical procedure that now makes it possible to correct cataracts and corneal astigmatism in one procedure.

“The vast majority of patients who undergo cataract surgery today receive monofocal lenses, which typically require them to use reading glasses or bifocals for near vision following surgery,” said Gillis.  “The new AcrySof® Toric IOL gives patients the potential to reduce their reliance on glasses.”

AcrySof® Toric is a foldable IOL (Intraocular Lens) and represents breakthrough technology because of its unique, patented optic design, which allows patients to get their astigmatism corrected and rely less upon glasses. The AcrySof® Toric IOL received approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration late 2007.  Clinical trials were conducted in the United States and Europe to establish the safety and effectiveness of the AcrySof® Toric® IOL. In Eye Surgery clinical trials, 97 percent of patients reported never wearing glasses for distance following bilateral cataract surgery. 

A cataract is a “clouding” of the eye’s natural lens, which results in blurred or defocused vision.  According to a recent article published in the Archives of Ophthalmology, more than 20 million adults in the U.S. have developed cataracts making it the number one cause of poor vision in the United States.  While not all cataracts require surgery, nearly three million cataract procedures are annually performed in the U.S.  Cataracts cannot be prevented and are the leading cause of treatable blindness worldwide.  According to the National Eye Institute, the number of Americans with cataracts is expected to rise to over 30 million people by the year 2020.

About Horizon Eye Care:

Horizon Eye Care is one of the regionally recognized leaders in vision care and has been providing the greater Charlotte community with quality eye care for decades.  Horizon was the first practice in Charlotte to begin performing corneal refractive surgery in 1985, followed by Laser Vision Correction in 1993 and LASIK in 1997.  Horizon provides full service medical and surgical care including routine eye care, retina, glaucoma, neuro-ophthalmology, oculoplastics, pediatrics, and cornea / external disease.  Horizon is also the premier destination for optical and contact lens service.  Horizon Eye Care is the eye care provider to the Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Checkers, and the Charlotte Knights.

About Iredell Memorial Hospital: