A gift from the late James E. Foley, of Chula Vista, Calif., provides $900,000 to support the Penn State Hershey Eye Center.
Foley, a native of Philadelphia, was a 1940 graduate of Penn State. He worked briefly for the Philadelphia Gas Works before being called to serve in the U.S. Air Force as a fighter pilot during World War II. Following the war, he remained in the military, retiring after 33 years of service. Foley passed away on July 22, 2009. He suffered from age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of vision loss in people over 65 years of age.
“Patients with AMD, like Mr. Foley, have difficulties with detailed vision including reading, driving, and the ability to recognize faces,” said David A. Quillen, director of Penn State Hershey Eye Center. “Mr. Foley wanted to support the mission of the Penn State Hershey Eye Center, particularly as it relates to research and care for this condition. We are touched by his generosity, and know that his gift will enable the center to enhance an already strong eye and vision research program.”
Penn State Hershey Eye Center has more than 30 eye and vision researchers from clinical and basic science departments working together on a variety of eye diseases including age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vascular occlusions, glaucoma and vision loss in children. Their work spans basic science, translational and clinical research.
Penn State Hershey Eye Center is one of the leading centers recruiting patients for the Age Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) II. AREDS II is a national, multicenter trial exploring the role of antioxidants and supplements in the treatment of age-related macular degeneration. Additionally, the center has one of the largest research programs dedicated to exploring the underlying mechanisms of diabetic retinopathy and developing new treatment options for patients with diabetes.
The program recently developed a new diagnostic test for AMD based upon the measurement of night vision impairment, an early symptom of the disease. The researcher, Gregory Jackson, associate professor of ophthalmology in the Penn State College of Medicine and director of clinical research at the Penn State Hershey Eye Center, is now focusing his efforts on using the assessment of night vision to further understand the mechanisms responsible for AMD and to evaluate the efficacy of new treatments in upcoming phase one and phase two clinical trials.
“Penn State Hershey Eye Center researchers work in collaboration with our clinicians to ensure that research discoveries are translated into better care for our patients,” said Harold L. Paz, chief executive officer of the Penn State Hershey Medical Center, senior vice president for health affairs at Penn State and dean of the Penn State College of Medicine. “Their work will further our understanding of significant eye diseases and will lead to the development of the next generation of diagnostic tools and treatments. Through his generous gift, Mr. Foley has become our partner in this work, and his generosity will have an effect on many lives.”