September 25, 2008 

For immediate release

Alanna J. Napier

615-480-3816  

EyeBall 2008

Vision for the Future

Wang Foundation for Sight Restoration hosts 4th annual charitable event that focuses on technology, textbook publishing and education

 

(Nashville, TN, USA, September 25, 2008) The Wang Foundation for Sight Restoration will host its annual ballroom dance-themed fund-raiser event, the EyeBall 2008, Vision for the Future, on Saturday, October 4, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. at the Nashville Downtown Hilton.  400 attendees are expected at this year’s gala.

 

The focus of this year’s EyeBall is technology and education. In the past year, the Foundation’s doctors have been involved in the research and innovation of new eye reconstructive surgery technologies and have published two major textbooks in the field. Corneal Topography in the Wavefront Era, a comprehensive textbook about the most important corneal imaging technology today, corneal topography, has become one of the most widely read textbooks in the corneal field in the world today. According to SLACK Inc., a major ophthalmic book publishing house located in Philadelphia, PA, Corneal Topography in the Wavefront Era has become SLACK’s #2 best seller of all time.

 

The world’s first major textbook dedicated to treating one of the most difficult-to-treat causes of sight loss, irregular astigmatism was also published by the foundation doctors in the past year. This new textbook, Irregular Astigmatism – Diagnosis and Treatment, was unveiled at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and has since won critical acclaims by surgeons and educators throughout the world. According to Ming Wang, MD, PhD, the Foundation’s founder and clinical associate professor of ophthalmology of University of Tennessee and director of Wang Vision Institute, Irregular Astigmatism – Diagnosis and Treatment presents a comprehensive discussion of all major advances in the world in these corneal surgeries and will likely make a significant contribution for the research and education of the profession.

 

The EyeBall is a unique event. It is perhaps one of the only remaining 17^th century Vienna classical ballroom charity galas in the US today. The idea behind the Eyeball is in itself innovative. Ballroom dancing is beautiful, but it can also be more meaningful if its breathtaking beauty can remind us how precious our sight is, and how much we need to help those who do not have it.  In the past 3 years, the EyeBall has always featured spectacular ballroom dance shows, but this year’s presentation will contain a performance to remember.  Felipe and Carolina Telona, the WORLD mambo AND salsa champions are donating their performance to our cause!  Felipe and Carolina have been featured on PBS 6 times and are performing a 20-minute exhibition for our guests.  It will be like watch “Dancing with the Stars” in person!

The Wang Foundation for Sight Restoration is a 501(c)(3) registered non-profit charity that helps patients who have severely injured corneas to undergo new sight restoration surgeries performed free-of-charge by its doctors. The Foundation has helped patients from over 40 states and over 55 countries worldwide. Besides the textbooks mentioned above, the Foundation’s doctors have also published a paper in the world-renowned journal Nature. Additionally, they hold a US patent on a new biotechnology to restore sight and they performed the world’s first laser-assisted artificial cornea implantation. The co-chairs for the EyeBall 2008 are Ted Welch and Colleen Conway-Welch, and the former governor of Tennessee Dr. Winfield Dunn and Mrs. Betty Dunn will be on hand to participate in the festivities to celebrate vision, the beauty of ballroom dancing and the spirit of giving.

The Foundation’s founder and chair is Ming Wang, MD, PhD, and the board members are Kim Campbell, Maclin Davis, Barry Dotson, Charles Grummon, Mark Hilliard, Monty Lankford, Wallace Rasmussen, Ming Wang and Shirley Zeitlin.

On an international level, the Foundation ‘s care of a little girl from India named Kajal made headlines all over the world, with stories appearing in over 100 newspapers in over 30 countries. Kajal is a precious 5-year-old who was purposely blinded by her stepmother who poured acid into her eyes and left her stranded at a train station in Allahabad, India. An international shelter group saved Kajal and searched worldwide for the surgical expertise to restore her sight in her severely damaged eyes, and was eventually led to contact the Wang Foundation for Sight Restoration in Nashville. The Foundation took in Kajal and helped her come to the US in March, 2007. Since then, hundreds of Nashvillians have reached out to help the little orphan girl.  Kajal has begun her difficult but inspirational journey from darkness to sight! Last year, Dr. Wang performed the first of what is planned to be several major eye reconstructive surgeries on Kajal, and the Foundation is getting ready for the second and subsequent surgeries.

EyeBall 2008 is the celebration of a vision for the future. The Foundation is a forum for education and training. With the two major textbooks published by the Foundation doctors in the past year, Wang Foundation for Sight Restoration is leading the way for innovation and education of surgeons from around the world.

 

For more information about EyeBall 2008 and Wang Foundation for Sight Restoration, please contact Alanna J. Napier (480-3816, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or Ming Wang, MD, PhD ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , www.wangfoundation.com.). To purchase EyeBall tickets, please contact Alanna Napier (contact above), Wang Foundation For Sight Restoration (a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization), 1801 West End Ave, Ste. 1150, Nashville , TN , 37203 , USA , (615) 321-8878(O), (615) 321-8874(fax).

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