Dr. Patricia Bath invented a device that led to restored eyesight and better surgical outcomes.

Written by Diya Dwarakanath

Cataracts are cloudy spots that form in elderly people's eye lens. By the age of 75, almost half of all Americans have cataracts. Eventually, they can go blind. 

The laserphaco probe is an example of a medical device. It safely vaporizes, or dissolves, cataracts using a tiny laser. The old eye lens is removed easily to make room for a new lens. 

Using the probe was faster and more accurate than previous equipment. The results were also less painful for the patient.  

Dr. Patricia Bath was ahead of her time in 1981. Laser technology she needed didn’t exist in Los Angeles. So, she went to Germany to keep developing her design. It took about 5 years to make the probe safe and effective. Five years for developing and testing a medical device is standard today. Eventually, her invention introduced lasers to the field of cataract surgery. 

Though trained in medicine, Dr. Bath applied many biomedical engineering skills to her work. She combined optics, biology, and problem solving, to invent the probe. 

Dr. Bath was inducted in the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2022. She made an impact because she was passionate about fighting blindness. She also persevered to overcome scientific obstacles. Her invention is used worldwide in the U.S., Europe, and Asia! 

Dr. Bath’s passion to fight blindness led her to become an inventor and holder of multiple patents. Is there something you’re passionate about? Think of a challenge or problem that affects someone or something you care about. How can you invent something to help solve it, like Dr. Bath? 
 

Sources: 

• https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/patricia-bath 
• https://cfmedicine.nlm.nih.gov/physicians/biography_26.html 
• https://invention.si.edu/innovative-lives-right-sight-patricia-bath 
• https://ummicrogsa.weebly.com/microblogs/patricia-bath 
• https://twitter.com/uspto/status/1448650025450369031 
• https://scienceatl.org/patricia-bath-changing-the-game-for-cataract-surgery/ 
• https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/bath-patricia-1942/ (Header Image Source)
• https://www.uspto.gov/learning-and-resources/journeys-innovation/historical-stories/sights-prize (Photo Source)