The 25 Greatest Gadgets Created By Black Inventors

19. Cataract Laserphaco Probe

Inventor: Patricia Bath
Year: 1981
Prior to the invention, cataract surgery was performed by manually grinding the cataract. But thanks to the efforts of Dr. Patricia Bath, surgery could be performed with laser precision—leading to reduced fees, improved accuracy, less recovery time, and relived pain. The Cataract Laserphaco Probe consists of a laser fiber surrounded by irrigation and aspiration tubes, helping shift the science of eye surgery out of the Stone Age.