Renowned ophthalmologist, Dr. Arnall Patz passes away

Renowned ophthalmologist, Dr. Arnall Patz, has passed away at the age of 89. Dr. Patz's groundbreaking research led to the discovery that high doses of oxygen administered to premature infants could cause a form of blindness now known as retinopathy of prematurity (R.O.P.). R.O.P. is what caused legendary singer Stevie Wonder's blindness. Dr. Patz had to overcome the hostility of many in the medical field to prove that the high doses of oxygen were harming instead of helping the premature infants. The high dose of oxygen leads to overgrowth of blood vessels in the eye which damages the retina permanently. Dr. Patz is also credited with helping to develop one of the first argon lasers which is now a standard treatment for macular degeneration and other eye disorders. President George W.? Bush awarded Dr. Patz the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2004 for his outstanding contributions in ophthalmology.* Andrea Schumann Staff Writer