SEATTLE, June 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ – LumiThera Inc., a medical device company focused on the development of non-invasive light emitting diode (LED) treatments for ocular disorders and disease, today announced Ret. Major General Gale Pollock has joined their Scientific Advisory Board. The first woman to serve as Acting Surgeon General of the United States Army and Commander of the US Army Medical Command, Major General Gale S. Pollock joined the LumiThera Board of Advisors to assist in the company’s mission to treat vision impairment.

General Pollock has 30 years of distinguished service in the US Army. Her past military assignments include serving in leadership and administration supporting the Army as the 22nd Chief of the Army Nurse Corps, in Information Management and Health Policy and Force Management, Commander of Tripler Army Medical Center, leading the Strategic Initiatives Command Group for the Army Surgeon General and on the Congressional Commission on Service Members and Veterans Transition Assistance.

“There are millions of people in America who struggle every day with their daily life activities because of vision loss. In addition, they struggle with depression because they’ve socially isolated themselves,” stated Gale Pollock. “After my retirement from the Army I’ve committed my efforts to the community of those with vision loss. LumiThera has a non-invasive approach that could treat degenerative indications such as dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The numbers of elderly with dry AMD are staggering and at this point in time, there are no cures for severe or total vision loss. Also, this is not just a problem in the U.S.—no country is immune from eye disease. People struggle around the world from this challenge.”

“General Pollock’s passion is restoration of sight, and she has also served as the Executive Director of the Louis J. Fox Center for Vision Restoration at the University of Pittsburgh. We are very inspired to have Gale helping LumiThera in our mission,” stated Clark E. Tedford, Ph.D., President and CEO. “Her dedication for helping address the world-wide issue of vision impairment fits perfectly with our goal to bring a cost effective LED treatment to acute and chronic ocular disease and disorders globally.”