Perry Rosenthal

Perry Rosenthal (September 2, 1933 - March 3, 2018) was a Canadian-born American eye surgeon and professor of ophthalmology, known for his work in the development of the first gas-permeable scleral contact lens.^[1][2]

Education

Following his graduation from McGill University Medical School in May 1958, Rosenthal completed his internship at Montreal General Hospital in 1959.^[3] From 1959 until April 1960, he completed a basic science course in ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. He was a resident in ophthalmology at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary from 1960 to 1963, then joined the infirmary staff.^[4] From 1963 to 1998, he was in private practice, and a staff surgeon at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. He was then named to the infirmary's courtesy staff, and, since 2013, was an emeritus member.^[5] Rosenthal was a part-time Assistant Clinical Professor in Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School since 1984.^[6]

Academic work

As a resident at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Rosenthal founded the hospital's contact lens clinic.^[4] He subsequently became a co-founder of Polymer Technology Inc., which developed Boston Lens products, including a rigid gas-permeable plastic that allowed the corneas to breathe normally through the contact lenses. The firm was subsequently acquired by Bausch & Lomb, of which Rosenthal became a director. In 1986, he developed a practical, gas-permeable scleral contact lens to treat and restore vision of eyes with many corneal diseases, which ave been widely adopted in clinical practice,^[7][8] He has also published on oculofacial pain,^[9][10] and dry-eye disease.^[11][12]

In 1992, he created the non-profit Boston Foundation for Sight to provide these devices to those in need, regardless of their ability to pay.^[13][14] He remained president until 2012.^[15][16] In 2013, he founded the non-profit Boston EyePain Foundation, in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.^[17]

Honors and awards

• 1987 – Trailblazer's Award, Contact Lens Manufacturers Association (CLMA)^[18]
• 1994 – Joseph Dallos Award (CLMA), "outstanding contribution to the development and advancement of the contact lens industry in memory of the Hungarian-born British ophthalmologist Josef Dallos, a pioneer in the development of the first contact lenses.^[19]
• 2002 – Tech Laureate, by the Tech Museum of Innovation, San Jose, California, for technology benefiting humanity.^[20]
• 2007 – Founders Award: American Academy of Optometry^[21]
• 2012 – Dr. Donald R. Korb Award for Excellence, annual meeting of the American Optometric Association^[22]

Publications

His most cited publications are:

• Romero-Rangel, T., Stavrou, P., Cotter, J., Rosenthal, P., Foster, S. "Gas permeable scleral lens therapy in ocular surface disease." American Journal of Ophthalmology, 2000; 130: 25–32. Cited 153 times, according to Google Scholar.^[23]
• Rosenthal, P., Cotter, J.M, Baum, J. "Treatment of persistent epithelial defect with extended wear of a fluid-ventilated gas permeable scleral contact lens." American Journal of Ophthalmology, 2000; 130: 33-41 Cited 98 times, according to GoogleScholar.^[23] Online
• Rosenthal, P., Croteau, A. "Fluid-Ventilated, gas-permeable scleral contact lens is an effective option for managing severe ocular surface disease and many corneal disorders that would otherwise require penetrating keratoplasty." Eye & Contact Lens, 2005; 31 (3) (130-134).