Mass Eye and Ear Commemorates 200th Anniversary with Year-Long Celebration

Boston, MA – From humble beginnings in 1824 as one room where two doctors provided eye care to Boston’s poor, Massachusetts Eye and Ear has grown over the past 200 years into a renowned international center for treatment and home to the world's largest vision and hearing research centers. Starting on January 18^th, with a special event for employees, the hospital launched a year-long celebration to spotlight the rich history, scientific milestones and countless patient triumphs that have occurred since Mass Eye and Ear’s founding. The theme for the bicentennial celebration is “A Legacy of Healing. A Future of Hope.”

“All of us at Mass Eye and Ear are profoundly humbled and proud to be able to represent this magnificent institution for such a historic milestone. From the very first day in 1824 to the incredible care and science of today, our mission has been focused on making the lives better for anyone who comes through our doors. I am so proud to lead Mass Eye and Ear and as we look forward to our entire community celebrating our 200^th anniversary, we are excited by the incredible research, patient care and teaching that are laying the groundwork for future breakthroughs,” said CarolAnn Williams, President of Mass Eye and Ear.

Mass Eye and Ear clinicians are driven by a mission to find cures for blindness, deafness and diseases of the head and neck. The Mass Eye and Ear main campus is located on Charles Street in Boston and also has a large presence in the Longwood medical area at its 800 Huntington Ave location. There are also more than 20 suburban locations in the greater Boston and Providence areas. Mass Eye and Ear has consistently been ranked among the top hospitals in both New England and the country for ophthalmology and otolaryngology. Mass Eye and Ear also is a member of Mass General Brigham and a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School.

“To reach such an incredible milestone is a testament to the importance of the mission of Mass Eye and Ear. As one of world’s leading centers of treatment, science and education, Mass Eye and Ear plays an important role in our system. We are proud to have them as part of Mass General Brigham and look forward to celebrating their 200^th anniversary and accelerating cures for blindness, deafness, and diseases of the head and neck,” said Anne Klibanski, President and CEO, Mass General Brigham.

Mass Eye and Ear started with two young doctors, Edward Reynolds, MD, and John Jeffries, MD, who took it upon themselves to treat the eye diseases of the Boston poor at a free public clinic. They rented one small room, one afternoon a week in the old Scollay Building in Scollay Square, and on October 1, 1824, the Boston Eye Infirmary was born. Over time the hospital expanded to meet the major need of people in the area, before formally incorporating as the Massachusetts Charitable Eye and Ear Infirmary in 1827. 

Today Mass Eye and Ear has grown to serve thousands of patients annually and almost 100 million dollars in research funding. The two key pillar departments at Mass Eye and Ear, ophthalmology and otolaryngology-head and neck surgery, are led by world renowned clinicians and researchers in their respective fields.

The Department of Ophthalmology, overseen by Joan W. Miller, MD, supports subspecialty training in the areas of cornea, retina and glaucoma, and have pioneered tools and treatments for numerous diseases and conditions, ranging from retinal detachment to age-related macular degeneration to corneal scarring.

The Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, led by Mark A. Varvares, MD, is one of the largest–head and neck surgery departments in the country. Their focus combines the expertise of highly specialized ear, nose, and throat physicians, audiologists, speech-language pathologists and auxiliary healthcare professionals to provide clinical care for patients with problems affecting the ear, nose, throat, head and neck areas.

Throughout 2024, Mass Eye and Ear’s 2,400+ employees, patients, visitors, and members of the community will be invited to participate in various events marking major programs, advancements and milestones. To learn more about the founding and history of Mass Eye and Ear and its close ties to Boston visit the special feature on the Mass Eye and Ear Focus blog and displays later this year at the Russell Museum.

About Mass Eye and Ear

Massachusetts Eye and Ear, founded in 1824, is an international center for treatment and research and a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. A member of Mass General Brigham, Mass Eye and Ear specializes in ophthalmology (eye care) and otolaryngology–head and neck surgery (ear, nose and throat care). Mass Eye and Ear clinicians provide care ranging from the routine to the very complex. Also home to the world's largest community of hearing and vision researchers, Mass Eye and Ear scientists are driven by a mission to discover the basic biology underlying conditions affecting the eyes, ears, nose, throat, head and neck and to develop new treatments and cures. In the 2023–2024 “Best Hospitals Survey,” U.S. News & World Report ranked Mass Eye and Ear #4 in the nation for eye care and #7 for ear, nose and throat care. For more information about life-changing care and research at Mass Eye and Ear, visit our blog, Focus, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.