1976 - Introduction of the field of Community Ophthalmology

* Bath published the first scientific paper showing the higher prevalence of blindness among Blacks. * She also found that African American people had eight times higher prevalence of glaucoma as a cause of blindness. * Based on her research, Bath pioneered the discipline of community ophthalmology in 1976 after observations of epidemic rates of preventable blindness among under-served populations in urban areas in the US as well as under-served populations in third-world countries. * Community ophthalmology was described as a new discipline in medicine promoting eye health and blindness prevention through programs of public health, community medicine and ophthalmology to bring necessary eye care to under-served populations.

Category:
Public Health; Ophthalmology

Completion Status:
done

Patent Number:
N/A