Milestones

1866

Cornelius R. Agnew, MD, establishes an ophthalmology clinic at the College of Physicians and Surgeons.
1867

Dr. Agnew is appointed the first professor of ophthalmology at P&S, marking the official beginning of the program.
1869

Herman J. Knapp, MD, establishes the New York Ophthalmic and Aural Institute, which later becomes the Herman Knapp Memorial Hospital.
1888

Dr. Herman Knapp is appointed Professor of Ophthalmology at P&S and becomes the second clinic director.
1903

Arnold H. Knapp, MD, son of Herman, appointed Professor of Ophthalmology at P&S and becomes the third clinic director.
1911

Edmund B. Wilson, PhD, maps color blindness onto the X chromosome.
1921

Department of Ophthalmology Established.
1928

Presbyterian Hospital moves to 168th Street, and the Vanderbilt Clinic—the clinical care unit of P&S, with its Ophthalmology service— moves uptown with it. John M. Wheeler, MD, DSc, becomes the first chair of the Department of Ophthalmology.
1931

Edward S. Harkness pledges money to build a separate Eye Institute at the new medical center.
1933

First corneal transplant, Dr. Ramon Castroviejo.
1935

Discovery of Hyaluronic acid and its molecular structure, Dr. Karl Meyer.
1936

Microbiologic transmission of trachoma established, Dr. Philips Thygeson.
1938

Dr. Castroviejo urges people to will their eyes to science, leading to the development of today’s eye banks.
1940

New methods developed for the quantitative analysis of DNA sugars, Dr. Zacharias Dische.
1943

Raymond L. Pfeiffer, MD, is the first to delineate the landmarks of the ocular orbit on plain x-rays.
1947

First retinoblastoma, pediatric, and adult ocular tumor clinics, Dr. Algernon B. Reese.
1948

The pupillography laboratory is established by Otto Lowenstein, MD, PhD, a pioneer in the quantitative measurement of pupil function. Willis Knighton, MD, establishes a Glaucoma Clinic on the newly remodeled fifth floor of the Eye Institute.
1955

American Optical releases the AO HRR color vision test, developed by LeGrand Hardy, MD, director of the Knapp Memorial Physiological Optics Laboratories, and M. Catherine Rittler, working with Gertrude Rand, PhD, of Johns Hopkins.
1956

George Merriam Jr., MD, with Elizabeth Focht, MD, of NYU, establishes a relationship between cataract formation and radiation. This leads to the development of standards of ocular radiation safety still in use today.
1957

Irene Loewenfeld, PhD, and Dr. Lowenstein build an” electronic pupillograph” that incorporates infrared technology. It is the first device to accurately measure and analyze the diameter of the pupils.
1958

Retina clinic established, Dr. Charles Campbell.
1961

First medical use of the ruby laser, Dr. Charles Campbell. First basic and clinical corneal research center established, Dr. A. Gerard DeVoe and Dr. Anthony Donn.
1965

Keratoprosthesis developed, Dr. Hernando Cardona.
1966

Development of System for preserving corneas until transplant, Dr. Saiichi Mishima. Max Forbes, MD, describes indentation gonioscopy in closed-angle glaucoma.
1968

First argon laser developed, Dr. Francis L'Esperance, Jr. Confocal microscopy first used to detect new structural features of the eye, Dr. David Maurice
1972

Became accredited. Abraham Spector, PhD, publishes research on protein aggregation and cataract formation. His laboratory will become one of the world’s leading cataract research laboratories.
1973

Using the ultrasound he developed, Dr. Coleman demonstrates that operating at an earlier stage in ocular trauma can vastly improve the patient’s prognosis for recovery.
1980

First wide field specular microscope developed, Dr. Charles Koester.
1983

Development of Healon, a hyaluronic acid polymer that transformed cataract and corneal surgery, Dr. Endre Balazs and Pioneering excimer laser surgery, Dr. Stephen Trokel and Dr. Francis A. L'Esperance, Jr.
1987

Stephen Trokel performs the first human excimer laser surgery for vision correction.
1994

First human retinal cell transplants, Dr. Peter Gouras.
1996

Development of latanoprost (Xalatan™) for the treatment of glaucoma, Dr. Laszlo Bito. FDA approval of Perfluorocarbons for retinal surgery, Dr. Stanley Chang.
1997

Latanoprost (XalatanTM) for the treatment of glaucoma, developed by Dr. Laszlo Bito, is marketed worldwide.
1998

Konstantin Petrukhin, PhD, discovers the gene responsible for Best’s macular dystrophy.
2000

John Flynn, MD, joins the Department as the first Anne S. Cohen Professor of Pediatric.
2005

The Bernard and Shirlee Brown Glaucoma Research Lab opens.
2006

Discovery of Factors H & B, significant genes contributing to age-related macular degeneration. Rando Allikmets, Ph.D. and AMD Study Group.
2009

Janet Sparrow, PhD, discovered and structurally characterized vitamin A aldehyde-adducts responsible for some forms of retinal degeneration.
2010

The Columbia Laser Vision Correction Center and the Gloria and Louis Flanzer Vision Care Center open.
2011

Neuroscientist Carol Mason, PhD, is elected to the Institute of Medicine.
2011

Donald Hood, PhD, elucidates structure- function relationship of glaucomatous damage to the macula.
2015

Jeffrey Liebmann, MD joins the Department as Vice- Chair, bringing with him several NIH-sponsored clinical trials.
2017

Irene Maumenee, MD, joins the department and receives the Laureate award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology for her lifelong contribution in ophthalmic genetics. Jonas Children’s Vision Care program opens to provide advanced care to children.
2019

Simon John, PhD, is appointed Robert L. Burch III Professor of Ophthalmic Science. Applied Genetics at Columbia Ophthalmology is launched. Konstantin Petrukhin, PhD, develops tinlarebant, a new drug for Stargardt disease and dry AMD.

Ophthalmology

Milestones

1866

Cornelius R. Agnew, MD, establishes an ophthalmology clinic at the College of Physicians and Surgeons.

1867

Dr. Agnew is appointed the first professor of ophthalmology at P&S, marking the official beginning of the program.

1869

Herman J. Knapp, MD, establishes the New York Ophthalmic and Aural Institute, which later becomes the Herman Knapp Memorial Hospital.

1888

Dr. Herman Knapp is appointed Professor of Ophthalmology at P&S and becomes the second clinic director.

1903

Arnold H. Knapp, MD, son of Herman, appointed Professor of Ophthalmology at P&S and becomes the third clinic director.

1911

Edmund B. Wilson, PhD, maps color blindness onto the X chromosome.

1921

Department of Ophthalmology Established.

1928

Presbyterian Hospital moves to 168th Street, and the Vanderbilt Clinic—the clinical care unit of P&S, with its Ophthalmology service— moves uptown with it. John M. Wheeler, MD, DSc, becomes the first chair of the Department of Ophthalmology.

1931

Edward S. Harkness pledges money to build a separate Eye Institute at the new medical center.

1933

First corneal transplant, Dr. Ramon Castroviejo.

1935

Discovery of Hyaluronic acid and its molecular structure, Dr. Karl Meyer.

1936

Microbiologic transmission of trachoma established, Dr. Philips Thygeson.

1938

Dr. Castroviejo urges people to will their eyes to science, leading to the development of today’s eye banks.

1940

New methods developed for the quantitative analysis of DNA sugars, Dr. Zacharias Dische.

1943

Raymond L. Pfeiffer, MD, is the first to delineate the landmarks of the ocular orbit on plain x-rays.

1947

First retinoblastoma, pediatric, and adult ocular tumor clinics, Dr. Algernon B. Reese.

1948

The pupillography laboratory is established by Otto Lowenstein, MD, PhD, a pioneer in the quantitative measurement of pupil function. Willis Knighton, MD, establishes a Glaucoma Clinic on the newly remodeled fifth floor of the Eye Institute.

1955

American Optical releases the AO HRR color vision test, developed by LeGrand Hardy, MD, director of the Knapp Memorial Physiological Optics Laboratories, and M. Catherine Rittler, working with Gertrude Rand, PhD, of Johns Hopkins.

1956

George Merriam Jr., MD, with Elizabeth Focht, MD, of NYU, establishes a relationship between cataract formation and radiation. This leads to the development of standards of ocular radiation safety still in use today.

1957

Irene Loewenfeld, PhD, and Dr. Lowenstein build an” electronic pupillograph” that incorporates infrared technology. It is the first device to accurately measure and analyze the diameter of the pupils.

1958

Retina clinic established, Dr. Charles Campbell.

1961

First medical use of the ruby laser, Dr. Charles Campbell. First basic and clinical corneal research center established, Dr. A. Gerard DeVoe and Dr. Anthony Donn.

1965

Keratoprosthesis developed, Dr. Hernando Cardona.

1966

Development of System for preserving corneas until transplant, Dr. Saiichi Mishima. Max Forbes, MD, describes indentation gonioscopy in closed-angle glaucoma.

1968

First argon laser developed, Dr. Francis L'Esperance, Jr. Confocal microscopy first used to detect new structural features of the eye, Dr. David Maurice

1972

Became accredited. Abraham Spector, PhD, publishes research on protein aggregation and cataract formation. His laboratory will become one of the world’s leading cataract research laboratories.

1973

Using the ultrasound he developed, Dr. Coleman demonstrates that operating at an earlier stage in ocular trauma can vastly improve the patient’s prognosis for recovery.

1980

First wide field specular microscope developed, Dr. Charles Koester.

1983

Development of Healon, a hyaluronic acid polymer that transformed cataract and corneal surgery, Dr. Endre Balazs and Pioneering excimer laser surgery, Dr. Stephen Trokel and Dr. Francis A. L'Esperance, Jr.

1987

Stephen Trokel performs the first human excimer laser surgery for vision correction.

1994

First human retinal cell transplants, Dr. Peter Gouras.

1996

Development of latanoprost (Xalatan™) for the treatment of glaucoma, Dr. Laszlo Bito. FDA approval of Perfluorocarbons for retinal surgery, Dr. Stanley Chang.

1997

Latanoprost (XalatanTM) for the treatment of glaucoma, developed by Dr. Laszlo Bito, is marketed worldwide.

1998

Konstantin Petrukhin, PhD, discovers the gene responsible for Best’s macular dystrophy.

2000

John Flynn, MD, joins the Department as the first Anne S. Cohen Professor of Pediatric.

2005

The Bernard and Shirlee Brown Glaucoma Research Lab opens.

2006

Discovery of Factors H & B, significant genes contributing to age-related macular degeneration. Rando Allikmets, Ph.D. and AMD Study Group.

2009

Janet Sparrow, PhD, discovered and structurally characterized vitamin A aldehyde-adducts responsible for some forms of retinal degeneration.

2010

The Columbia Laser Vision Correction Center and the Gloria and Louis Flanzer Vision Care Center open.