In 1969, led by Wilmer’s fourth director, Arnall Patz, M.D., the argon laser was developed. Its usage to treat diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, and other diseases revolutionized the field of ophthalmology, and medicine.

Morton F. Goldberg, M.D., the Joseph Green Professor of Ophthalmology and former director of the Wilmer Eye Institute, says this innovation enabled intraocular surgery without the need for an incision. This noninvasive approach also minimized the risk of bleeding. Today, the argon laser is a standard of care widely used in ophthalmology.