Patricia's Vision — Alleanna Harris

Patricia’s Vision:
The Doctor Who Saved Sight

Written by Michelle Lord
Published by Union Square & Co.
Published on January 7, 2020
ISBN: 9781454931379

The cover of the picture book Patricia's Vision, written by Michelle Lord and illustrated by Alleanna Harris. Dr. Patricia Bath adjusts the phoropter as a Black woman looks through.

The inspiring story of Dr. Patricia Bath, a groundbreaking ophthalmologist who pioneered laser surgery—and gave her patients the gift of sight.

Born in the 1940s, Patricia Bath dreamed of being an ophthalmologist at a time when becoming a doctor wasn’t a career option for most women—especially African-American women. This empowering biography follows Dr. Bath in her quest to save and restore sight to the blind, and her decision to “choose miracles” when everyone else had given up hope. Along the way, she cofounded the American Institute for the Prevention of Blindness, invented a specialized laser for removing cataracts, and became the first African-American woman doctor to receive a medical patent.

“After four years of medical school, she slipped out of her cap and gown and into a crisp, white coat. She was now Doctor Patricia Bath!” Dr. Bath says, “I decided to get the training, education, skill set so I could achieve miracles.”

Sneak Peek

Dr. Patricia Bath fits an artificial cornea. Her patient was able to see. Dr. Bath saw possibility when others couldn't. From Patricia's Vision, written by Michelle Lord and illustrated by Alleanna Harris.

The text reads, “Unthinkable. Preposterous! It can’t be done, said the other doctors. But she kept thinking big thoughts about the tool that didn’t exist. YET.” In the illustration, the white male doctors ignore Dr. Bath.

Praise for Patricia’s Vision

"The text begs to be read aloud; the reader will find onomatopoeia, stylish repetition, and short sentences that add a zippy cadence to the story's rhythm. Harris's rich illustrations depict important moments in Bath's life and include interesting details: medical equipment, an eyeball or two, and a schematic of her invention. An inspirational story of a woman who worked hard and never gave up on her dream to rid the world of blindness. A book all children should hear or read."
-School Library Journal