Perry Rosenthal, M.D 1933–2018

Abstract

Perry Rosenthal, M.D. passed away in Boston on March 3, 2018 at the age of 84. Remarkably, a number of his seminal contributions were made in the last two decades of his life and continued to evolve until his passing. He was born in Montreal, graduated from McGill University Medical School, and completed his residency in ophthalmology at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston in 1963. Although a surgeon, he was fascinated by contact lenses and early in his residency founded the first contact lens service in the United States. Dr. Rosenthal established a private practice following his residency, specializing in contact lenses. He was particularly interested in rigid lenses and in 1971 co-founded Polymer Technology Corporation leading to the Boston rigid gas permeable material and the Boston lens. In 1986 he developed and fit the first fluid-ventilated gas-permeable scleral contact lens. It was at that early time that he was formulating concepts to explain the discomfort experienced by patients both with and without contact lenses, and came to believe that scleral lenses could play a large role in the treatment of those with ocular discomfort and pain. In 1992 he founded the nonprofit Boston Foundation for Sight. The Boston Foundation became the vehicle Dr. Rosenthal used to develop the Boston scleral lens (PROSE ocular prosthesis) which evolved into improved treatment for many conditions which had previously been untreatable; including the conditions of severe dry eye disease, Sjögren’s syndrome, chemical burns, neurotrophic keratitis, acoustic neuroma, severe keratoconus, marginal degenerations, and corneal scarring. Dr. Rosenthal was dedicated to providing this population suffering from significant ocular pain with improved comfort and vision and he achieved a level of success previously thought impossible. His work helped thousands of suffering patients throughout the United States and foreign countries. The PROSE lens was accepted by the professions as an effective treatment modality, and fitting centers to provide the PROSE lens and technology were established in cities in the US other than Boston and also internationally. Dr. Rosenthal was recognized for 8 consecutive years as one of the Best Doctors in the United States. I was fortunate to know Dr. Rosenthal for 40 years, as we were both in Boston and had many common interests. When our work converged in the area of ocular discomfort, a close friendship developed over the past 15 years, providing me with the opportunity to observe firsthand his passion for ocular pain, which truly dominated his waking hours. His work, including his publications, lectures and teaching, was responsible for providing those professionals who understood the extreme limitations of current therapy not only new directions in the management of dry eye, but in explaining why so many contemporary treatments failed for so many dry eye patients. However, for many years his work was ignored by many researchers and clinicians, as is the case with so many new ideas and new paradigms. At times Dr. Rosenthal expressed his frustration at the eye care professions unwillingness to consider his concepts which challenged conventional thinking. A continuing and ever growing number of researchers and clinicians have slowly embraced his concepts for ocular discomfort and pain, and as a result further research has been initiated. His contribution to the ocular pain system has changed my approach to the dry eye patient with pain. He received many awards and recognitions including: Best Doctors in America for 8 years from 2005–2012; 1997 Joseph Dallos Award; 2006 Howard Stein, Lecturer, Contact Lens Association of Ophthalmologists; 2007 Founders Award, American Academy of Optometry; 2007 UHCO Award for Distinguished Research on the Cornea and Contact Lenses; 2012 Dr. Donald R. Korb Award for Excellence; 2013 Harvard Medical School – Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary Invited Speaker; and 2013 Keynote Speaker, Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society. In considering the contributions of Dr. Rosenthal, his work was truly pioneering in two areas. The first was the utilization of gas permeable scleral lenses for the treatment of previously untreatable conditions. This also resulted in the re-emergence of scleral lenses as essentially a new and important field of practice, not only for ocular discomfort and pain, but for a broad spectrum of visual conditions. The second area, and the focus of his work until his passing, is the ocular discomfort and pain system. Remarkably, each of these areas created new paradigms, resulting in Dr. Rosenthal being one of the very few in eye care who achieved multiple breakthroughs and paradigm shifts. With the passing of time, the wisdom and value of his visions and contributions become more apparent. He provided the foundation and guidelines for continuing research to carry his work to the next levels and provide readily implemented clinical methods to ameliorate the suffering of many. I am confident that history will view his contributions as seminal.