Patricia Era Bath died on May 30, 2019, in San Francisco, California, U.S., at the age of 76. Her death marks the end of a significant career in ophthalmology and humanitarian work.

Patricia Bath received a patent for the Laserphaco Probe, becoming the first African-American woman to receive a patent for a medical purpose. The device improved the use of lasers to remove cataracts.

Patricia Bath had the initial idea for the Laserphaco Probe device in 1981, which would later become a significant part of her research and inventions.

Patricia Bath pioneered the discipline of community ophthalmology. After observing epidemic rates of preventable blindness among under-served populations, community ophthalmology was described as a new discipline in medicine promoting eye health and blindness prevention through programs using methodologies of public health, community medicine and ophthalmology to bring necessary eye care to under-served populations

Patricia Era Bath was born on November 4, 1942, in Harlem, New York City, U.S. to Rupert and Gladys Bath. Her birth marks the beginning of the life of a pioneering ophthalmologist and humanitarian.