Patricia Bath | Laser Cataract Surgery and the Right to Sight
Hall of Records · Chamber of Knowledge
Patricia Bath was an ophthalmologist and inventor whose Laserphaco Probe advanced cataract treatment.
Record Overview
She also developed the concept of community ophthalmology, connecting eye care to public health and unequal access.
Documented Record
Bath became the first Black woman physician to receive a U.S. medical patent.
Why This Record Matters
The record preserves technological invention alongside a philosophy that preventable blindness is also a problem of race, poverty, and access.
Record Timeline
- 1970s: Bath advances community ophthalmology and academic firsts.
- 1980s: She develops and patents the Laserphaco Probe.
- Later career: She advocates internationally for blindness prevention.
- 2019: Bath dies.
Living Archive
- How widely was the Laserphaco technology adopted?
- Which barriers did she face in academic medicine?
- How can community ophthalmology guide present health policy?
Sources and Image
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons file: Patriciabath.jpg. Review the file page for creator, attribution, and license.
Image-use note: Confirm the Wikimedia Commons file-page license, attribution, and personality-rights requirements before publication.
Image note: Recovered documentary/archival image. Review source-page attribution and reuse rights before publication.
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