The Barraquer Institute of America is a civilian non-profit scientific institution dedicated to the research, study, teaching and dissemination of the science of ophthalmology. It was founded in 1965 by Professor José Ignacio Barraquer Moner as a tribute to his father, Prof. Ignacio Barraquer y Barraquer and is currently under the direction of Dr. Francisco Barraquer Coll. The following is the list of the Institute’s activities over the years:

Research, creation, development and dissemination of all the techniques and instruments in the area of Lamellar Refractive Surgery with Dr. José I. Barraquer Moner.

Research pertaining to the formation of hydroxyapatite from marine corals for the production of ocular prostheses with Dr Carlos René León.

Sponsoring and guidance for the development of the Barraquer-Carriazo microkeratome, marketed with the name of CB with the Moria firm, and the Moria II microkeratome with Dr. Cesar Carriazo.

Creation of the American Ophthalmology and Optometry Society (SAOO) and of its journal, the SAOO Archives started in 1958, with 31 volumes published to date. Because of legal requirements, the Society changed its name and it now an Association, under which all the developments related to refractive surgery, keratomileusis and keratophakia techniques by Prof. José I. Barraquer M. are published.

Creation of the Higher School of Ophthalmology where 120 Colombian and foreign ophthalmologists have done their training.

Publication of 5 books on Refractive surgery: “ Queratoplastia Refractiva” ed. Dr. José I. Barraquer M. A compilation of world articles on the subject. Two volumes (sold out).

“ Queratomileusis y Queratofaquia” by Dr José I. Barraquer M. One volume (sold out).

“ Cirugía Refractiva de la Córnea” by Dr José I. Barraquer M. together with Drs. Carmen Barraquer C. Alejandro Arciniegas and Luis E. Amaya. Two volumes (in stock).

Sponsor, together with ASAOO of 6 International Forums (1970-75-80-84-88-93) with the participation of 300 national and international physicians during which the “Ignacio Barraquer y Barraquer Medal” was awarded to the authors of innovative surgical techniques or procedures in the field of ophthalmology in the Gold and Silver categories.

1970: Primum Forum – Gold Medal to Prof. Tadeuz Krawicz for his work on cataract cryoextraction.

1975 : Secundum Forum – Gold Medal to Prof. Louis Paufique for his work on corneal grafts.

1980: Tertium Forum – Gold Medal to Prof. Joaquín Barraquer M. for the discovery on the use of the alpha chemotropsine enzyme in lens removal.

1984: Forum Centenarii: Gold Medal to Dr. Robert Mackemer for vitrectomy technique and instrumentation.

1988: Quintum Forum: Silver Medal to doctors Luis Enrique Amaya and Alejandro Arciniegas for their research on........, and to Dr. Luis A. Ruiz for his development in refractive surgery.

1993: Forum In XXV Anniversario – Silver Medal to Dr. Gabriel Simon for his research on “Intrastromal rings” for myopia correction.

Additionally:

-Dialogue on myopio with doctors Derek Ainslie, Jules Francois and Alejandro Salleras. November, 1972.

- Electrophysiology Course with Dr. Sheila Margolis.

-Update in Keratoplasty. I.B.A. Staff, 1989.

- Second Course on Anophthalmos with Dr. Andres Laiseca, 2002.

–Update in Lamellar Keratoplasty with doctors Gerrit Melles, Eduardo Arenas and Jorge Vasco Posada. 2004.

-13 training courses in Lamellar Refractive Surgery techniques – Keratomileuisis and Keratophakia – between 1977 and 1983.

Sponsorship of free ophthalmologic care including surgical expenses for 20 retirement homes and asylums in Bogotá since 1968.

Sponsorship of free ophthalmologic care for people with no income.

Agreement with the Air Patrol and the Malta Cross for surgical care in third level ophthalmologic cases.

The Barraquer Institute founded the first Eye Bank in Colombia 196 initially called the San Ignacio Eye Bank. The name was later changed to “ El milagro de Ver” (the Miracle of Seeing”) and finally, when the Law of Transplants was finally included in the Colombian Constitution, it was a founding member of COBANCOL.

The Barraquer Institute is the owner of all the ophthalmologic equipment of the Barraquer Clinic and is responsible for the update, purchase and adaptation of new technologies.

Owner of the Barraquer Clinic Library with more than 1,700 book volumes on Visual Health Sciences; 35 subscriptions to international Ophthalmology and Optometry Journals, some of them complete collections; and serial publications on ophthalmology. It is responsible for updating and purchasing new editions.

Owner of the Digital Imaging Laboratory of the Barraquer Clinic with a digital database of more than 12,000 photographs and 80 films, and a collection of 8mm and 16 mm films of original techniques and demonstrations and 328 international videos on ophthalmologic surgical procedures.

Owner of the Ocular Histopathology Laboratory under the direction of Dr. Francisco Barraquer Coll where more than 17,000 ocular tissue samples have been processed and analyzed.