Bascom Palmer Eye Institute is the

University of Miami The University of Miami (UM, UMiami, Miami, U of M, and The U) is a private university, private research university in Coral Gables, Florida, United States. , the university enrolled 19,852 students in two colleges and ten schools across over ...

School of Medicine's ophthalmic care, research, and education center. The institute is based in the Health District of

Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

, and has been ranked consistently as the best eye hospital and vision research center in the nation. Bascom Palmer Eye Institute faculty and staff treat patients from around the world at the institute's multi-location facilities, including its flagship location in Miami and at satellite facilities elsewhere in

Miami-Dade County Miami-Dade County () is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Florida. The county had a population of 2,701,767 as of the 2020 census, making it the most populous county in Florida and the seventh-most-populous coun ...

Broward County Broward County ( ) is a County (United States), county in Florida, United States, located in the Miami metropolitan area. It is Florida's second-most populous county after Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County and the List of the most ...

Palm Beach County Palm Beach County is a county in the southeastern part of Florida, located in the Miami metropolitan area. It is Florida's third-most populous county after Miami-Dade County and Broward County and the 24th-most populous in the United States, wi ...

, and Collier County in

South Florida South Florida, sometimes colloquially shortened to SoFlo, is the Regions of the United States#Florida, southernmost region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is one of Florida's three most commonly referred to directional regions; the two others are ...

. The institute's clinical faculty treats more than 250,000 patients annually, provides 24-hour emergency care, and is the only community-based ophthalmic care center for indigent and low-income patients of Miami-Dade County.

History

Ophthalmology Ophthalmology (, ) is the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis, treatment, and surgery of eye diseases and disorders. An ophthalmologist is a physician who undergoes subspecialty training in medical and surgical eye care. Following a ...

at the University of Miami School of Medicine began in 1955 and attained departmental status in 1959. Bascom Palmer Eye Institute was founded seven years later, on January 20, 1962, by Edward W. D. Norton, a neuro-ophthalmologist,

retinal Retinal (also known as retinaldehyde) is a polyene chromophore. Retinal, bound to proteins called opsins, is the chemical basis of visual phototransduction, the light-detection stage of visual perception (vision). Some microorganisms use ret ...

specialist, administrator and professor who joined the

's School of Medicine with aspirations of building a regional ophthalmic center in

. The institute was named after Bascom H. Palmer, a

ophthalmologist Ophthalmology (, ) is the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis, treatment, and surgery of eye diseases and disorders. An ophthalmologist is a physician who undergoes subspecialty training in medical and surgical eye care. Following a ...

who settled in Miami in the 1920s. The Bascom Palmer Eye Institute's founding five physicians, including Norton, Victor Curtin, the first faculty member, who was hired in 1959 and established the institute's

pathology Pathology is the study of disease. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when used in the context of modern medical treatme ...

laboratory and its eye bank, which has provided ophthalmologists with donor eye tissue for more than 30,000 patients since its 1962 founding, J. Lawton Smith, a neuro-ophthalmologist, who created the nation's first post-graduate neuro-ophthalmology course, J. Donald M. Gass, a

macular degeneration Macular degeneration, also known as age-related macular degeneration (AMD or ARMD), is a medical condition which may result in blurred vision, blurred or vision loss, no vision in the center of the visual field. Early on there are often no sym ...

specialist who developed

fluorescein angiography Fluorescein angiography (FA), fluorescent angiography (FAG), or fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) is a technique for examining the circulation of the retina and choroid (parts of the fundus) using a fluorescent dye and a specialized camera. ...

as a diagnostic tool, and John T. Flynn, a pediatric ophthalmologist who established the institute's Children's Clinic. The institute was officially opened on January 20, 1962. John Clarkson, a vitreoretinal specialist and surgeon, succeeded Norton in 1991 and chaired the institute until 1996. Richard Parrish, a

glaucoma Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that can lead to damage of the optic nerve. The optic nerve transmits visual information from the eye to the brain. Glaucoma may cause vision loss if left untreated. It has been called the "silent thief of ...

specialist, became the institute's third chairman in 1996 and served for three years. Richard Forster, a

cornea The cornea is the transparency (optics), transparent front part of the eyeball which covers the Iris (anatomy), iris, pupil, and Anterior chamber of eyeball, anterior chamber. Along with the anterior chamber and Lens (anatomy), lens, the cornea ...

and external disease specialist, served as interim chairman from 1999 until 2001. Carmen A. Puliafito, a vitreoretinal specialist and surgeon, was appointed chairman of the institute and medical director of the Anne Bates Leach Eye Hospital in July 2001, serving until October 2007. Eduardo C. Alfonso, a cornea and external disease specialist, is Bascom Palmer Eye Institute's present chairman and has served in that capacity since June 2009.

Medical firsts

* In 1965, Bascom Palmer physicians Noble J. David, J. Lawton Smith, Edward W. D. Norton, J. Donald M. Gass, and medical photographer Johnny Justice, Jr. pioneered the use of

fluorescein Fluorescein is an organic compound and dye based on the xanthene tricyclic structural motif, formally belonging to Triarylmethane dye, triarylmethine dyes family. It is available as a dark orange/red powder slightly soluble in water and alcohol. ...

angiography Angiography or arteriography is a medical imaging technique used to visualize the inside, or lumen, of blood vessels and organs of the body, with particular interest in the arteries, veins, and the heart chambers. Modern angiography is perfo ...

for the diagnosis of macular and

retina The retina (; or retinas) is the innermost, photosensitivity, light-sensitive layer of tissue (biology), tissue of the eye of most vertebrates and some Mollusca, molluscs. The optics of the eye create a focus (optics), focused two-dimensional ...

l diseases, which led to the accurate description and effective treatment of retinal disorders. * In 1971, Bascom Palmer research investigators established the clinical value of

vitrectomy Vitrectomy is a surgery to remove some or all of the vitreous humor from the Human eye, eye. Anterior vitrectomy entails removing small portions of the vitreous humor from the front structures of the eye—often because these are tangled in an i ...

(removal of the vitreous humor) to treat retinal detachments,

diabetic retinopathy Diabetic retinopathy (also known as diabetic eye disease) is a medical condition in which damage occurs to the retina due to diabetes. It is a leading cause of blindness in developed countries and one of the lead causes of sight loss in the wor ...

, infectious diseases of the eye, and severe ocular trauma. * In 1989, in a successful effort to restore the vitality to ocular mucous membranes, Bascom Palmer faculty introduced limbal stem cell transplantation therapy, which now can prevent potentially blinding

l scarring. Also in 1989, Bascom Palmer researchers identified the

herpes Herpes simplex, often known simply as herpes, is a viral infection caused by the herpes simplex virus. Herpes infections are categorized by the area of the body that is infected. The two major types of herpes are oral herpes and genital herp ...

virus as the cause of acute retinal necrosis, a devastating infection of the retina often caused by

HIV/AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

. * In 1995, Bascom Palmer faculty member Robert H. Machemer conducted the first successful vitreous surgery and invented the miniature surgical instrumentation used in this procedure. * In 2006, Bascom Palmer physicians and scientists pioneered studies into the effective treatment of the wet form of age-related

, using the

FDA The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food ...

-approved

colorectal cancer Colorectal cancer (CRC), also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, is the development of cancer from the Colon (anatomy), colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine). Signs and symptoms may include Lower gastrointestinal ...

drug

Bevacizumab Bevacizumab, sold under the brand name Avastin among others, is a monoclonal antibody medication used to treat a number of types of cancers and a specific eye disease. For cancer, it is given by slow injection into a vein (intravenous) and use ...

. * In 2009, Bascom Palmer surgeons performed the first modified osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis surgery in the United States, restoring vision to a woman who had been blind for nine years. The procedure involved several surgeries culminating with implanting her tooth in her eye as a base to hold a prosthetic lens.

Services

The institute provides 24-hour emergency care and is the only community-based ophthalmic care center for indigent and low-income patients

. Faculty and staff treat patients with most eye disorders and diseases, including:

Retina The retina (; or retinas) is the innermost, photosensitivity, light-sensitive layer of tissue (biology), tissue of the eye of most vertebrates and some Mollusca, molluscs. The optics of the eye create a focus (optics), focused two-dimensional ...

and Vitreous Diseases and Surgery

Glaucoma Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that can lead to damage of the optic nerve. The optic nerve transmits visual information from the eye to the brain. Glaucoma may cause vision loss if left untreated. It has been called the "silent thief of ...

l and external diseases
Laser Vision Center treatments

Neuro-ophthalmology Neuro-ophthalmology is an academically-oriented subspecialty that merges the fields of neurology and ophthalmology, often dealing with complex systemic diseases that have manifestations in the visual system. Neuro-ophthalmologists initially comple ...

Ophthalmic

oncology Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with the study, treatment, diagnosis, and prevention of cancer. A medical professional who practices oncology is an ''oncologist''. The name's Etymology, etymological origin is the Greek word ὄγ ...

Ophthalmic plastic and orbital surgery
Pediatric ophthalmology
Ophthalmic pathology

Uveitis Uveitis () is inflammation of the uvea, the pigmented layer of the eye between the inner retina and the outer fibrous layer composed of the sclera and cornea. The uvea consists of the middle layer of pigmented vascular structures of the eye and ...

Comprehensive ophthalmology
24-hour emergency in Miami
Optical services

Contact lens Contact lenses, or simply contacts, are thin lenses placed directly on the surface of the eyes. Contact lenses are ocular prosthetic devices used by over 150 million people worldwide, and they can be worn to correct vision or for cosmetic ...

service

Low vision Visual or vision impairment (VI or VIP) is the partial or total inability of visual perception. In the absence of treatment such as corrective eyewear, assistive devices, and medical treatment, visual impairment may cause the individual difficul ...

rehabilitation

Rankings

In 2020, '' U.S. News & World Report'' ranked Bascom Palmer Eye Institute the best

ophthalmology Ophthalmology (, ) is the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis, treatment, and surgery of eye diseases and disorders. An ophthalmologist is a physician who undergoes subspecialty training in medical and surgical eye care. Following a ...

hospital and research center in the United States for the 17th consecutive year and 19th year overall since the institute's 1962 founding.

References

External links

* {{authority control Hospital buildings completed in 1962 1962 establishments in Florida Hospitals established in 1962 Hospitals in Florida University of Miami Eye hospitals in the United States Hospitals in Miami