Charles Kelman

Charles D. Kelman (May 23, 1930 – June 1, 2004) was an ophthalmologist and a pioneer in cataract surgery.

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Kelman was born in Brooklyn, New York to David and Eva Kelman. He grew up in Queens where he attended Forest Hills High School. After graduation, he attended Boston's Tufts University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree, then studied medicine at the University of Geneva. After interning at Kings County Hospital, he worked as an ophthalmologist at the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital in New York.

One of the cataract surgery techniques that Kelman developed, phacoemulsification, has become today's standard. Inspired by his dentist's ultrasonic tools, in 1967 Kelman introduced the technique that uses ultrasonic waves to emulsify the nucleus of the eye's lens to remove the cataracts without a large incision. This new surgery removed the need for an extended hospital stay and made the surgery less painful. It has helped 100 million people nation-wide. "Dr. Kelman, who received the National Medal of Technology from President George H.W. Bush in 1992, was inducted [in February 2004] into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in Akron, Ohio. Neurosurgeons have improved upon the technique and used it to remove tumors from the brain and spinal cord." (Boston Globe)

In 2004, Kelman died of lung cancer in Boca Raton, Florida. He was survived by his wife, Ann, as well as five children, Jennifer, Lesly, Jason, Seth, and Evan Kelman.

References

• Excerpt of New York Times obituary