This year is the 25th anniversary for Optos. With such a significant milestone, it is customary to reflect on the journey. It all began when Douglas Anderson, our Founder set out to commercialize a patient-friendly product that encompassed a digital widefield image of the retina in a single capture. His young son, Leif was the impetus behind this mission. Whilst he had been receiving regular eye exams, the doctor was unable to examine Leif’s entire retina and he became blind in one eye when a peripheral retinal detachment went undetected. From that point on, the mission of saving sight and saving lives was engrained in the fabric of our culture and has become the cornerstone of our vision to be The Retina Company.
Today, I am thinking more about what the future holds for Optos. Even with 12,000 devices installed, more than 60 million patients having received optomap® and thousands of peer-reviewed studies and articles written, we are not resting on our past accomplishments. We continue to utilize the latest technology to manufacture new products and software that support optomap as a standard of care for eye care professionals and their patients. Furthermore we are expanding our product portfolio to include OCT technology, another important device for an eye care practice.
We have accomplished a lot during our first 25 years. Our vision and drive to be The Retina Company is an effort of continuous improvement in everything that we do. Most importantly, we have enabled eyecare professionals to improve the efficiency of their clinics and practices, to uncover critical clinical information, and to prevent vision loss by utilizing our technology. To Douglas, our employees, shareholders, partners, customers and future customers, thank you for supporting the vision. We look forward to the future and continuing the journey with you.