David E.I. Pyott Foundation Endows $2 Million to the American Academy of Ophthalmology to Create Glaucoma Education Resource

SAN FRANCISCO, March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Academy of Ophthalmology today announced that the David E.I. Pyott Foundation has pledged $2 million to the Academy's educational foundation. Mr. Pyott is the former chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the global pharmaceutical company, Allergan. Allergan is a global leader in ophthalmics and enjoys a decades-long close relationship with all the stakeholders of the eye care community. His endowment represents the largest gift ever contributed to the Academy's foundation from a single individual. It will enable the Academy to establish a unique online glaucoma education resource for physicians worldwide.

The David E.I. Pyott Glaucoma Education Center will help speed online medical training in glaucoma treatment. It will provide an array of learning activities that hold the greatest promise for improving patient care. This resource will provide ophthalmologists with a peer network for them to discuss and manage challenging cases. It will also include interactive cases and simulations, an extensive searchable online library of clinical support materials and surgical videos, as well as patient-education resources. It is expected to launch at the end of 2017.

The Pyott Glaucoma Education Center will be a significant expansion of the Academy's Ophthalmic News and Education (ONE®) Network. The ONE Network is the Academy's flagship educational resource for evidence-based medicine, surgical advancements and quality of care improvements.

Mr. Pyott's endowment to the Academy Foundation through his private foundation follows a long history of significant contributions to ophthalmology, and specifically to glaucoma, the leading cause of irreversible, yet preventable, blindness worldwide.

"Having served as Allergan's CEO for 17 years, I have an intimate connection with the glaucoma community," said Mr. Pyott. "This is my way of giving back. I am delighted to continue a long and rewarding heritage of helping physicians everywhere speed improvements in patient outcomes."

"David Pyott is an extraordinary philanthropist," said David W. Parke, II, M.D., CEO of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. "He is knowledgeable and personally experienced and engaged in the problem of treatable global blindness. This endowment will serve as a legacy gift for decades to come—helping current and future physicians around the globe, as well as providing resources for their patients. We are deeply grateful for his steadfast generosity that enhances our capability to protect sight and empower lives."

Mr. Pyott has served on the advisory board of the American Academy of Ophthalmology Foundation since 2002. For more than 30 years, the Foundation has worked to fund the Academy's continuous efforts to deliver and uphold the highest standards in ophthalmic clinical education and patient care.  

Mr. Pyott is president of the International Council of Ophthalmology Foundation and a board director at the Pan-American Ophthalmological Foundation. He also serves on the advisory board of the American Glaucoma Society Foundation. Read more about Mr. Pyott.

About the American Academy of Ophthalmology
The American Academy of Ophthalmology is the world's largest association of eye physicians and surgeons. A global community of 32,000 medical doctors, we protect sight and empower lives by setting the standards for ophthalmic education and advocating for our patients and the public. We innovate to advance our profession and to ensure the delivery of the highest-quality eye care. Our EyeSmart® program provides the public with the most trusted information about eye health. For more information, visit www.aao.org.

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SOURCE American Academy of Ophthalmology

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