Herbert E. Kaufman

Herbert Edward Kaufman (September 28, 1931) is an American ophthalmologist who discovered

He began his Princeton University education at age 16, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude with a degree in chemistry. This was followed by medical school at Harvard University. Kaufman Graduated in 1956 Magna Cum Laude and Alpha Omega Alpha. He received the New England Pathology Society Award for developing a new type of calcium stain for histological tissue preparation.^[1][2]

He performed his Medical Internship at

Research and Discoveries

First Anti-Viral Medication: 5-iododeoxyuridine (IDU)

5-iododeoxyuridine (IDU) had been synthesized 8 years earlier by William Prusoff as an anticancer medication. Kaufman tested IDU as a possible agent to disrupt viral replication in active Herpes Simplex Virus infections of the eye. IDU was proven effective and resulted in the discovery of the first antiviral agent used in humans to treat an active viral infection. This agent was subsequently used to effectively treat Herpes Simplex keratitis, the primary cause of corneal blindness in the Western world at that time.^{[5] [6]} Kaufman also developed the use of

With Tony Gasset, Kaufman studied therapeutic soft contact lens (SCL) use to promote corneal healing and reduce pain. They also pioneered the use SCL and collagen shields as a sustained release mechanism for medication to the eye.^[10]

Cornea Endothelium Microscopy (Specular Microscopy)

The specular microscope was developed with Bill Bourne, which showed that the human corneal endothelium divided little or not at all. Thus, this tissue must be protected since it could not effectively repair itself like other human tissue. This also led to the discovery that the corneal endothelium was being damaged during cataract surgery as the cataract was removed and the artificial lens was placed into the eye.^[11]

Cornea Transplant Tissue storage

Prior to the development of corneal storage media for

There was resistance to this new procedure but with the support of

(k-sol reference) K-sol was used for many years but was removed due to a manufacturing contamination by Taylor Pharmacueticals.[14] Kaufman and Richard Lindstrom, modified the k-sol formulation to make Optisol corneal eye bank storage media in 1992. Optisol remains the most commonly used eye bank preserving medium, according to Kaufman.^[15]

Laser Vision Correction

Ultimately, the first human to undergo laser vision correction with the excimer laser was a patient with a uveal melanoma in an eye slated for enucleation who allowed Marguerite McDonald to perform an excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). Following enucleation, they performed histologic studies. This was followed by the same work in a series of blind patients who allowed PRK to be performed despite the absence of a benefit to them to forward this technology, which led to the development of LASIK eye surgery.^{[4] [16]} Awards: The Weisenfeld and Proctor awards from the Association for Research in Ophthalmology (ARVO), the MAP award from the Society Ophthalmoligica, The Montgomery Medal from the Irish Ophthalmological Society, The Pockington Medal from the Royal Society of Ophthalmology, 10 outstanding Men of the year by the US Chamber of Commerce, The Innovators award from the Association of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons and others.

He was the editor of Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science and served on the Editorial Boards of a number of journals, including the American Journal of Ophthalmology. He has been president of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, the Contact Lens Association of Ophthalmologists, and the International Society of Refractive Keratoplasty and has served two terms on the Advisory Council of the National Eye Institute. He has more than 700 publications in his bibliography, including work on herpesvirus and ocular disease, antiviral drugs, corneal surgery, and refractive surgery.^[2]

References