• Herbert E. Kaufman, MD, is renowned for his vision-saving innovations, including the discovery of idoxuridine.
• He authored more than 700 scientific publications and was recognized with several honors.

Herbert E. Kaufman, MD, one of ophthalmology’s most renowned innovators, died on July 11, 2026.

Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1931, Kaufman earned his medical degree from Harvard Medical School in 1956, after which he completed his internship at Massachusetts General Hospital and served as the founding chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Florida, “where he established one of the nation’s premier academic eye centers,” according to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune in his obituary. He also served as chairman at the Louisiana State University Eye Center.

“I did my cornea fellowship with him, and then joined his faculty at [Louisiana State University] Eye Center in New Orleans, where he was the chairman,” Marguerite B. McDonald, MD, FACS, of OCLI Vision, told Healio. “Herb launched the careers of many MDs and PhDs, including my career and that of Stephen Klyce, PhD.”

As an innovator, Kaufman discovered idoxuridine, the first effective treatment for herpes simplex eye infection, and played a key role in the development of timolol for glaucoma and ocular hypertension treatment.

“His research also led to the introduction of natamycin, the first commercially available medication for fungal eye infections,” the obituary said.

Among Kaufman’s other significant contributions to the ophthalmic space are the development of corneal storage media and the co-development of the specular microscope for corneal endothelium examination, as well as the use of therapeutic bandage contact lenses. He also played a “pivotal role” in early excimer laser vision correction, according to the obituary.

“Forty years ago, Herb asked Steve to figure out a way to understand what we were doing to corneas with our refractive surgery endeavors,” McDonald told Healio. “In response, Steve developed the first Placido-based color-coded contour maps, as well as the software to automatically interpret the maps. This led to the first use — 40 years ago — of AI in medicine.”

The author of more than 700 scientific publications, Kaufman was granted a number of honors recognizing his legacy as a scientist, innovator and leader in ophthalmology.

He is survived by his wife Maija, his children Stephen, Joshua and Claire, and his grandchildren Benjamin, Alexander, Joel, Shaina, Caroline, Katherine, Cole and Zoe.