Trail Blazing Black Women: Patricia Bath, MD

Dr. Bath as a 17-year-old high school student in New York City in 1960. She was featured in The New York Times, along with another teenager, after a cancer study they had helped write was presented in Washington. (photo courtesy of Herbert S. Sonnenfeld/New York Times) There is a great deal of significance associated with the name Dr. Patricia Bath in the field of medicine, particularly in the field of ophthalmology. The face of modern healthcare has been irrevocably altered as a result of her groundbreaking work, unrelenting tenacity, and unwavering devotion to the prevention of blindness. Through her efforts as an ophthalmologist, laser specialist, researcher, and activist, Dr. Bath has had a significant impact on the globe and has helped save a great number of lives. Most Notable Achievements Dr. Bath is well recognized for her groundbreaking work in the field of cataract surgery, namely for developing the laser phaco device and procedure. She revolutionized cataract surgery, which had previously been a difficult and dangerous operation with poor visual results. Dr. Bath’s dedication to her patients led her to develop a method to safely remove cataracts by breaking up the lens with a laser. In addition to facilitating the...