A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO dated April 2000
I believe the past year has been the most dramatic and productive yet in the history of Sunrise Technologies
International, Inc.
The unanimous recommendation by the FDA?s Ophthalmic Device Advisory Panel (ODP) in January 2000
completed a remarkable comeback for the Company. After not being approved in July 1999 at the ODP,
many people had begun to write what they thought was the final chapter for this Company. It turned out to
be just the beginning.
After July 1999, the world?s ophthalmic community began to discuss in much greater depth the uniqueness of refractive
surgery for the treatment of hyperopia (farsightedness), and two important factors were brought into sharp focus
among ophthalmologists:
1. As the old saying goes, "You can?t fool Mother Nature." People become more hyperopic as they get older.
2. Over time, all hyperopic laser procedures will result in a change in effect post -treatment and none have been
shown to stop the aging process.
These two factors, plus the eye surgeon?s desire for a safe, quick, effective and economical way to deal with
hyperopia, helped illuminate not only how hyperopia is different from myopia (nearsightedness) but also the unique
position Sunrise holds in the entire refractive surgery industry.
In addition to our regulatory accomplishments, we have continued to build the Company in other areas:
* In January 2000, we announced a capital infusion of $11.7 million which we are using to build up inventory in
anticipation of the U.S. launch of the Hyperion ? LTK System.
* We have increased our visibility on Wall Street, attracting a major analyst and increasing institutional
ownership of the Company.
* In January 2000, Sunrise passed its ISO/9001/EN46001 certification which is an essential element for
competing in worldwide markets.
* Additional clinical trials are underway with a new nomogram that treats up to 5.6 diopters of hyperopia.
* We have assembled a dynamic sales team, one of the most experienced and historically productive in
ophthalmology.
1999 was another year of remarkable growth for the refractive surgery industry. The number of procedures performed
in the US doubled again, up to an estimated 950,000. Almost all of it was to treat myopia. The procedure volume is
expected to continue to grow rapidly in 2000, to an estimated 1.3 million.
Sunrise expects to help that number continue to grow in the coming years as we begin to penetrate the large and
virtually untapped hyperopia market. It promises to be an exciting and challenging time for Sunrise customers,
shareholders and employees.
C. Russell Trenary III
President & Chief Executive Officer
Sunrise Technologies International, Inc.
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