Dear Friends of the Shiley Eye Center,

The UCSD Shiley Eye Center Complex is the youngest University eye center in the country. In spite of our youth, we have achieved extraordinary successes in clinical patient care, educating new physicians, researching diseases and treatments of the eye, as well as in community service. These accomplishments, and in fact, our existence, is inextricably linked to the people of San Diego.

The Shiley Eye Center and its more recent additions, the Anne F. and Abraham Ratner Children's Eye Center, the Hamilton Glaucoma Center and the Irwin and Joan Jacobs Retina Center, all were the result of generous gifts from our patients. There have been no contributions from the State of California or the University of California. Our growth has been a measured growth, i.e., as our patient care and research have accelerated, our needs were defined and then the community came to our aid. These past investments in the Shiley Eye Center have allowed us to expand to accommodate this tremendous growth.

Currently, our patient care has increased beyond our expectations, therefore in order to continue to deliver the best of care, we are rushing to meet these needs with more doctors and clinical space in a new wing which will be located to the east of the present eye center as well as at the Ratner Children’s Eye Center (see below). Unfortunately, our recent fundraising campaign has been seriously impacted by the explosion of construction in China and Hurricane Katrina. Due to these unforeseen circumstances, the costs of construction and raw materials have sky-rocketed. Although we thought we reached the projected target, we have recently learned there is a need for an additional $1 million. We are going ahead with our plans to break ground in the summer of 2006 with the hope that our community will yet again come forth to save us. We need your help, once again. The giving envelope is enclosed. There are wonderful naming opportunities available, which I would be happy to discuss with those interested.

This quarter's Viewpoint highlights the many activities and accomplishments of the Shiley Eye Center Complex and its doctors. I hope you will get a sense of why our government recently ranked the Shiley Eye Center to be in the top ten in the country. I believe this remarkable achievement proves the value of your investment in us now, and in the future.

We extend a special thanks to our donors and friends over these past 20 years, as philanthropic support is more important now than ever before in helping us reach our goals.

Best regards,

Stuart I. Brown, M.D.
Professor and Chairman, Department of Ophthalmology
Dr. Richard K. and Tatiana A. Lansche Distinguished Chair in Ophthalmology
Director, Shiley Eye Center