Bath was born in Harlem, New York, to Rupert and Gladys Bath. After graduating from high school in only two years, Bath headed to Hunter College, where she earned a bachelor's degree in 1964. She received her medical degree from Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, D.C., interned at Harlem Hospital from 1968 to 1969, and completed a fellowship in ophthalmology at Columbia University from 1969 to 1970.
Following her fellowship in ophthalmology at Columbia University, from 1970 to 1973, she completed her training at New York University, where she became the first Black resident in ophthalmology. In 1974 Bath joined the faculty of UCLA and Charles R. Drew University as an assistant professor of surgery (Drew) and ophthalmology (UCLA).
In 1981, Bath began working on her most well-known invention: the Laserphaco Probe (1986). Harnessing laser technology, the device created a less painful and more precise treatment of cataracts. The laserphaco probe is a tool that uses a tiny laser to safely vaporize cataracts in a patient’s eye. Once the probe has removed the cataract, a surgeon is then able to remove the lens of the eye and insert a replacement.
It took her nearly five years to complete the research and testing needed to make it work and apply for a patent. She received a patent for the device in 1988, becoming the first African American female doctor to receive a patent for a medical purpose.
The invention of cataract laserphaco probe
