Euclid Systems Appoints Vance Thompson, MD, as Chief Medical Advisor
The internationally recognized leader in vision correction has led many FDA-monitored clinical trials and built an award-winning surgical practice.
Euclid Systems Corporation, a global leader in advanced orthokeratology and proactive myopia management, today announced that it has appointed Vance Thompson, MD, an internationally recognized authority in laser vision correction and advanced cataract surgery, to the position of Chief Medical Advisor. As a leading international researcher, Dr. Thompson has played a key role in the development of advanced technologies and techniques for both laser and implant vision correction. He has served as the medical monitor lead or principal investigator in many FDA-monitored clinical trials and has lectured and taught advanced procedures to thousands of surgeons around the world.
“As a vision correction luminary with experience leading dozens of clinical studies, Dr. Thompson brings an exemplary set of credentials to the role of Chief Medical Advisor at Euclid,”
said Joseph Boorady, Euclid Systems CEO.
“We are so pleased that Dr. Thompson will be applying his in-depth understanding of treating the cornea from a surgical perspective to our work in myopia, as well as sharing the benefits of his experience as the founder of a large, award-winning practice and an expert in service-oriented business models. The arrival of Dr. Thompson comes as Euclid is firmly strengthening our position as the leader in our field, and his insights will help ensure we continue to enhance patient care.”
Earlier this year, Euclid launched Euclid MAX, a breakthrough in overnight orthokeratology that manages progressive myopia (nearsightedness) by gently reshaping the cornea while patients sleep. The need for myopia management is urgent, with almost 5 billion people expected to have myopia by 2050.1 If left untreated, myopia can progress to blindness; the increase in cases by 2050 would make it the leading cause of blindness worldwide.1 Untreated myopia also significantly increases the risks for glaucoma, cataracts, and retinal disease.3-5
“I’m excited to be part of Euclid’s innovative work in myopia and orthokeratology, which promises to deliver on the primary therapeutic needs for patients. Early intervention is critical to prevent both vision deterioration and development of other serious conditions,”
said Dr. Thompson, founder of Vance Thompson Vision in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Professor of Ophthalmology at the Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota.
“Myopia management is a strong clinical need for our patients —together, I think we will engage more physicians and thus reach more patients in need.”
A native of Gregory, South Dakota, Dr. Thompson received his medical degree from the University of South Dakota. His practice, Vance Thompson Vision, was recently voted one of the Top Company Cultures in the country by Entrepreneur Magazine. In addition, Dr. Thompson has served on multiple boards and leadership positions and twice received presidential appointments to the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
1. Holden BA, Fricke TR, Wilson DA, et al. Global Prevalence of Myopia and High Myopia and Temporal Trends from 2000 through 2050. Ophthalmology. May 2016;123(5):1036–1042.
2. “Myopia Occurring Earlier: Specialist,” China Daily. June 7, 2018.
3. Younan C, Mitchell P, Cumming RG, Rochtchina E, Wang JJ. Myopia and incident cataract and cataract surgery: the BlueMountains eye study. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science. 2002;43:3625-32.
4. Mitchell P, Hourihan F, Sandbach J, Wang JJ. The relationship between glaucoma and myopia: the Blue Mountains Eye Study. Ophthalmology. 1999;106:2010-5.
6. Group TEDC-CS. Risk factors for idiopathic rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. The Eye Disease Case-Control Study Group. American Journal of Epidemiology. 1993;137:749-57.