Moran Eye Center Surgeon Installed as President of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery

Salt Lake City, Utah
May 4, 2009

John A. Moran Eye Center ophthalmic surgeon, Dr. Alan Crandall was installed as president of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) April 4, 2009 in San Francisco at the annual ASCRS convention. Dr. Crandall is a graduate of the University of Utah, School of Medicine, and now serves as senior vice-chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at his alma mater. He focuses on the medical and surgical management of glaucoma and cataract. At the Moran Eye Center, Dr. Crandall sees patients from around the world as one of University Health Care's more than 1,600 specialists.

During the same day Dr. Crandall was introduced as the new president of ASCRS last week, President Obama called for a comprehensive overhaul of the U.S. health care system, warning that soaring medical costs present "one of the greatest threats, not just to the well-being of our families ... but to the very foundation of our economy."

In his speech to the members of ASCRS, Dr. Crandall talked about the impact of this current economic recession, "To meet the challenges posed by this environment, it will require our vigilance, our adaptability and our participation," said Dr. Crandall. During his speech he encouraged ophthalmologists to participate in one of several ways, including participating with industry, donating time to underserved individuals in their communities, and developing a relationship with local government representatives.

Dr. Crandall also urged participation in international charity work in developing countries. "When you cure the blindness of one man, woman, or child, you liberate at least two people - the patient and his/her caregiver," he said.

In 1965, as a senior and star quarterback at Judge Memorial Catholic High School in Salt Lake City, Utah, Dr. Crandall received a Judge High Service Award. This was an omen of things to come and he has never stopped serving. Dr. Crandall has been leading outreach missions to some of the poorest countries in the world for more than a dozen years including Ghana, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Vietnam, India, the Philippines, Ethiopia and many other countries. Each time he travels, he spends anywhere from 10-20 days in very difficult living conditions, and he pays his own way.

While well known around the world for his expertise in state-of-the art eye surgery and vast knowledge of ophthalmology, Dr. Crandall is at the same time passionate about carrying out international outreach efforts that make a lasting impact. When we began our international outreach trips, the number of people blind from curable cataracts was so overwhelming," Dr. Crandall says. Now because we train physicians while we are there, we are not only treating blindness by doing surgery, but the surgeons are continuing with cataract surgeries when we are not there. I consider this to be our biggest success.

Recently Dr. Crandall said this, There are always kids that stay in my mind, I think of them often. The seven-year-old who is blind from cataracts, yet he sits in the surgery line alone all day, never making a sound. They are so brave, and to see them smile when you take off the bandage the day after surgery is overwhelming. When he or she sees his mom for the first time&. To restore their vision through cataract surgery, well, you are giving them a whole lifetime they would not have otherwise had.

It is clearly evident that members of ASCRS have chosen not only an outstanding clinician as their President, but a true humanitarian as well. Congratulations Dr. Crandall

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