Founder of NIDEK Leaves OF Legacy of Devices to Improve Eye Care

FOUNDER OF NIDEK LEAVES LEGACY

OF DEVICES TO IMPROVE EYE CARE

June 18, 2009 NIDEK CO., LTD.

Gamagori, JAPAN — Hideo Ozawa, the founder and Chairman of the Board of NIDEK Co., Ltd. passed away June 16, 2009, at a hospital in Gamagori, Japan. He was 79 years old. He left behind a legacy in the ophthalmic and optometric industries that will not be forgotten.
In 1971, Mr. Ozawa led six people to found NIDEK in Gamagori, Japan. His goal was to link optics and electronics. The first Xenon photocoagulator in Japan developed by NIDEK in 1973 became a huge success. In 1982 NIDEK introduced the first auto-refractor. His global vision led to successful subsidiaries in the United States, France, and Italy. Mr. Ozawa received the prestigious “Order of the Rising Sun” award from the Emperor of Japan in 2004.

His ambition was to make things from “invisible to visible.” Today NIDEK operates in about 100 countries worldwide. Mr. Ozawa spent half of his time travelling, meeting with doctors and industry leaders, and developing new technologies in optics, lasers, coating, and diagnostic devices.
His vision and leadership improved the eye and health care of millions of people worldwide.

About NIDEK
NIDEK is a worldwide leader in the medical, optical and coating fields based on leading-edge optoelectronic technology. It develops, manufactures and sells products in the above fields, provide service and export the products internationally. It will continue to support people all over the world for their healthy lives as a leading company in the ophthalmic and optical instrument industries.

For more information contact:

Japan and International:
Mr. Mits Amano, Secretariat Manager, NIDEK Co., Ltd.
+81-533-67-8826 mitsutoshi_amano@nidek.co.jp

United States:
Mr. Frank Wood, Marketing Manager, NIDEK Inc.
800-223-9044 frank_wood@nidek.com