We need your voice to honor a trailblazer!

Dr. Patricia Bath is poised to make history as the first Black woman inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, a recognition long overdue for a pioneer whose work changed the world of medicine (PR Newswire).

Bath began her groundbreaking career in the 1970s, completing an Ophthalmology residency at NYU before making history again in 1975 as the first Black woman appointed to UCLA’s surgical staff. That same year, she became the first woman to lead a post-graduate training program in Ophthalmology, shattering barriers in a field historically dominated by men (Smithsonian).

Her most notable invention, the Laserphaco Probe, revolutionized cataract treatment. Developed in 1986 using the Excimer Laser, it allowed surgeons to remove cataracts more safely, precisely, and efficiently. Bath also patented a device and method for cataract surgery, becoming the first Black woman in history to receive a medical patent (TIME). Over the course of her career, she would receive five U.S. patents, each contributing to the restoration and improvement of vision for millions worldwide.

Beyond her inventions, Bath was a committed advocate for health equity. She was the first physician to document the disproportionate rates of blindness among Black individuals compared to other racial groups. In 1976, she co-founded the American Institute for the Prevention of Blindness, a nonprofit aimed at addressing these disparities and ensuring that advances in eye care reached historically underserved communities (NPR). Today, her Laserphaco technique continues to influence cataract surgery globally, having been employed in approximately one million of the twenty million cataract surgeries performed annually, and its precision has been enhanced through robotics and computerized systems.

Dr. Bath passed away in 2019, leaving a legacy that continues to inspire. Her family has been tirelessly advocating for her induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, where she would become the only Black woman among 603 inventors to receive this prestigious honor. She has been nominated for induction 11 times, a testament to the profound impact of her work and the long overdue recognition of Black excellence in science and medicine.

Her daughter, Dr. Eraka Bath, associate professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at UCLA, emphasized the significance of her mother’s contributions:

“My mother’s invention is as significant to the laser cataract surgery industry as Bell’s telephone is to telecommunications and Edison’s light bulb is to electric lighting. Being inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame would be an amazing honor.”

In celebration of Black History Month, the National Inventors Hall of Fame is encouraging the public to nominate African-American inventors for consideration. Dr. Patricia Bath’s life and work serve as a powerful reminder of how innovation, courage, and determination can change the world.

Her inventions saved sight. Her advocacy saved lives. Now, let’s honor her legacy by making history.

Thank you for your groundbreaking work, Dr. Patricia Bath.