Profile America - Patricia Bath
WASHINGTON -- Following is the daily Black History Month feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:
PATRICIA BATH Profile America for the 11th day of Black History Month. Dr. Patricia Bath has dedicated her life to the treatment and prevention of visual impairments. Her personal belief is that everyone has the "right to sight." To that end, she co-founded the American Institute for the Prevention of Blindness. Her outstanding abilities were already evident in cancer research she did at age 16. Her best known achievement was the invention of a laser device to vaporize cataracts, more effective and less invasive than previous mechanical techniques. Dr. Bath is credited as the first female African- American doctor to receive a patent. Across the U.S., there are more than 18,000 ophthalmologists helping Americans maintain good vision.
