-Gamagori, JAPAN April 8, 2003-

NIDEK Co. Ltd. announced today that NIDEK and VISX have signed and completed the global litigation settlement and cross-license agreements announced earlier last week. The parties will file requests for dismissal of all outstanding lawsuits in the appropriate courts immediately.

In light of the signed settlement agreement and dismissal of the litigations, NIDEK has withdrawn the subpoenas issued to users of the VISX’s systems in the latter part of 2002. Physicians who might have received a subpoena from NIDEK are relieved of all obligations to respond to the subpoena and need not produce the requested information.

"We are very pleased with the final settlement agreement now in place," stated Mr. Hideo Ozawa, President of NIDEK Co., Ltd. "NIDEK wants to move forward in advancing and building the laser vision correction industry in the U.S. and worldwide," added Mr. Ozawa.

Under the formal and signed settlement agreement all other terms and conditions are confidential.

Contact:
Ms. Hiromi Kitagawa
Public Relations, Planning Dept.
Phone: +81-533-67-6753
Fax: +81-533-67-6610
Email: info@nidek.co.jp