Helping Others ‘See’ Disparities in Eye Care
By Bayan Atari, It’s not often that a single individual accomplishes as many “firsts” as Patricia Bath (MD ‘68). In the decades following her graduation from the Howard University College of Medicine, Bath became the first Black woman to complete a residency in ophthalmology at New York University, the first woman to chair an ophthalmology residency program in the United States, and the first Black woman doctor to receive a medical patent in the U.S. for her invention of laser cataract surgery. In the face of systemic racism and sexism, Bath excelled as a doctor, researcher and inventor, opening doors