The Wilmer Ophthalmological Institute opened its doors to the public in October 1925, occupying Ward B of Johns Hopkins Hospital, which was previously home to the gynecology department.

The institute featured a suite of rooms for the chairman, including a private office and two exam rooms, as well as a residents' suite on the first floor. Office space was provided for attending physicians and the assistant director. Additionally, a library and a second-floor operating suite—complete with two operating rooms, a sterilization room, and a utility room—were included in the layout. The basement housed outpatient clinics, research labs, and a machine shop.