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PERRY ROSENTHAL M.D.

PERRY ROSENTHAL Obituary

ROSENTHAL, Perry M.D. Age 84, of Montreal, Canada, passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 3, 2018 at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, MA. Born in Montreal, Canada, Perry moved to Boston after graduating McGill Medical School to begin his residency program at the Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary. Perry was passionate about his work and passionate about the care his patients received. He touched many lives and was motivated and inspired to do better, by his patients that were previously told that nothing more could be done for them. Perry was extremely proud and in love with his two grandchildren, Zelda Ann of Wayland, MA, and Shimone Schaff of East Falmouth, MA. He is also survived by his son, Bill and his wife Jennifer, his daughter Beth Schaff and her husband, Ethan, and his sister Jeannie Goldberg. Services were private. Memorial donations may be made in Perry's name to The Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless, 1200 U Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 or online at www.legalclinic.org.

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Published by Boston Globe from Mar. 10 to Mar. 11, 2018.

Memories and Condolences
for PERRY ROSENTHAL

30 Entries

james jozwiak

December 6, 2019

I just found out Dr. Rosenthal had passed. I was lucky enough to be referred by my doctor at the U of M Kellogg Eye Center in Michigan. My keratoconos had gotten progressively worse and I decided to finally go ahead with a double cornea transplant. Unfortunately, blood vessels had grown into my cornea making the surgery very risky & a possibility of losing my sight was too high. Luckily Dr. Soong knew Dr. Rosenthal & was able to get me an appt in Dec 2005. Durning his exam, Dr. Perry discovered I also had "floppy eyelid syndrome" and suggested I call my primary care Dr. I said I would upon returning to MI. He said, NO! He insisted I call him immediately. He took the time to explain his concern that I had sleep apnea, and he was right!! The good dr. not only saved my sight with the PROSE lenses but probably saved my life! Don't know why I thought to google the Dr. today but am very sad to find out we lost a pioneer in the treatment of eye disease. I hope his legacy continues on at the Boston Foundation for Sight. What a great man !!

susan silverstein

May 6, 2019

There was no one like him. We have been to many doctors and Dr Rosenthal was a rare breed. Caring,kind,compassionate and brilliant. He will not ever be forgotten

May 6, 2019

When my husband had RSD in his eyes,not one doctor believed him. Dr. Rosenthal did and did everything possible to help. Robert and I will never forget you Dr. Rosenthal. You were one in a million. May your memory be a blessing
Robert and susan silverstein

Dr. Rosenthal with Patty

Patricia Jamieson

March 10, 2019

My husband and I were planning on contacting Dr Rosenthal for a long overdue visit with him last October when I first heard of his death. I was so completely grieved that I could not write a remembrance of him at the time. It is not surprising that I would be so grieved, for I owed my life to him and thought of him every morning with thankfulness that I could open my eyes because of him. In 2009 I came to him with a bag over my head. I had constant eye pain. In addition to the constant pain, even in complete darkness with my eyes closed I had bouts of waves of excruciating pain that would leave me nauseated and too dizzy to stand for more than an hour. Oh, that I could tear my eyes out! I was told this wouldn't help. Oh, that I could die!
In my desperation God lead me to Dr Rosenthal. Long after other doctors had given up on me, Dr Rosenthal took me in. Mine was a difficult case, but Dr Rosenthal did not give up on me until my pain subsided and I was able to see again, and able to live again! That I could have seen you one last time, my tender and compassionate healer! A humble tribute indeed, is this; that I am thankful for you every morning, until the day I shall die, that because of you I can open my eyes.
Patty (Johnston) Jamieson
Titusville, Florida

Cheryl Appel

October 12, 2018

Rest In Peace, Perry.
You were the most compassionate Dr and friend that anyone could ever hope to meet.

Joshua Finn

October 11, 2018

I am so sorry to hear of Perry's passing. I owe my sight to Dr. Rosenthal. I met him as a patient at the Boston Foundation for Sight in 2005, as my kerataconus was continuing to progress and could no longer wear regular contact lenses. I am so thankful for Dr. Rosenthal's kindness and his dedication to helping so many people restore their sight. Sincere condolences to the family.

September 17, 2018

How very saddened I am to hear today of Perry's passing, months after the fact. I will always admire Perry's brilliance as a doctor and inventor and his compassion in treating patients. He truly worked miracles restoring vision! I had the honor of serving on the board of the Boston Foundation for Sight in the early years. My condolences on this monumental loss.

Cheryl Appel

September 15, 2018

Perry saw my son after dozens of doctors dismissed his pain. He immediately understood the problem and took my son to the Mass Eye and Ear to view his corneas under a confocal microscope and saw constant nerve regeneration. Perry's brilliance coupled with his compassion made him a true giant among men and a living angel.
Today he lives with the angels and we will forever miss him.
Rest In Peace, my friend.

Karen Walsh Pio

August 17, 2018

Dr. Rosenthal was my eye doctor in my teen years and how lucky I was! He fitted me with these new-fangled things called hard contact lenses when I was 15 in 1966. I am still wearing hard lenses over 50 years later and am thankful every day for how he changed my life for the better. God grant him peace for a life of caring for others so that we may see. Quite literally. He was a blessing.

Rick Smith

July 25, 2018

Many years ago I worked for Perry in his private lab in Brookline Village making contact lenses. Without dropping names some of the patients that came to see him were some of the most prestigious on the planet. His love of medicine and the physician to patient relationships were what I used as a benchmark to my own career in medicine. He may be gone but in many of our hearts he will live on for many years to come!

Barbara Brilliant

June 13, 2018

I knew Perry in Montreal when we were very young.
He was a talented pianist and a talented ophthamologist. I knew him and Zelda in Boston where we still live. My condolences to his children and grandchildren.

Ken Pullum

April 1, 2018

Perry was involved at the very early stages in the modernisation of scleral contact lenses. He established the Boston Foundation for Sight, which became famous for giving sight or relief from severe ocular pain with scleral lenses for some of the most challenging patients. This was against a backdrop of significant scepticism at the time, but with dedication and determination, he was able to show time and again the value of his clinical skills when they were needed most.

Well done, Perry, you made a great contribution which will be remembered for a long time to come.

Ken Pullum, Moorfields Eye Hospital, UK.

Joe Hanna

March 25, 2018

Perry's lenses were life changing for me and thousands of others.
It was a privilege to know him on both a personal and professional
Level.

Joe Hanna

Marc Pitoniak

March 21, 2018

In 1963-1964 I was losing my sight in both eyes. My mother drove me from western Massachusetts on Fridays to Boston so that Dr. Rosenthal could treat and monitor my condition with Prednisone and Daraprim. Dr. Rosenthal saved my eyesight.

I will also be grateful to Dr. Rosenthal.

God bless Dr. Rosenthal and his family.

David Dionne

March 20, 2018

Thank you Dr. Rosenthal for diagnosing and giving me vision when I was 14 yrs old. The Boston Gas Permeable lenses gave me excellent vision for many, many years, and now at 66yrs old, I continue to have excellent vision.

My prayers and thoughts the Rosenthal Family during this difficult time.

David Dionne, New York

Peter Jacobson

March 19, 2018

Perry Rosenthal was my friend and my doctor. A decade ago I became quite ill with numerous autoimmune issues. I was living in California and Perry would check in with me regularly. He suggested a non FDA approved drug that he was prescribing for people with optic nerve damage due to multiple sclerosis. He recommended that I try this drug called low-dose naltrexone (LDN) and thankfully I did. The LDN worked and I have been using it ever since. Perry's recommendation improved the quality of my life tremendously and I am eternally grateful. That's who Perry was-he helped people.

Patricia Hirsch-Lirk

March 14, 2018

Perry Rosenthal was my former husband's 2nd cousin. He was so kind to my daughter and I during a stay in Boston in 1988 while we were visiting colleges in the area. He hosted us and made our stay very lovely. I know that he was a wonderful doctor and helped many people. He will truly be missed. - Patricia Hirsch-Lirk

George White

March 14, 2018

I first met Dr. Rosenthal in the early Sixties in his original office on Marlboro St. in Boston. Whatever professional success I've had in the six decades since then as a tax lawyer, I owe in large part to Perry, and his GP lens, and later his scleral lens.

His passing has struck me like a death in the family.

Susan Hackney

March 13, 2018

I met Dr. Rosenthal I. 2004 .. He changed my life with his lens and care.
I remember the very first day when I explained my history , loss of acuity and symptoms thinking Wow ...someone really understands what I am talking about . That day was better than hitting the lottery !!! A true miracle thru human invention . I have been a patient at Boston Foundation for Sight ever since . I went from 20/800 to 20/20 in my left eye along with no pain from wearing other type lens. God Speed .

David Hobson

March 13, 2018

Very sorry to hear of Dr. Rosenthal's passing. He was my eye doctor since I was 5 years old in 1966. A wonderful caring physician he saved my Brothers sight while he was college after discovering and documenting reactions to thimerosal preservative used in contact lens solution. Later his Boston foundation for sight would save my sight from corneal disease after all other treatments failed.

Rest in Peace Perry,

David

March 13, 2018

I thank you dr. Rosenthal,you changed my life.It has saddened me this day because I am so grateful for you for saving my eyes.You have truly blessed my life ,thank you,forever.
Jason Bruere,Bowling Green VA

Diane Seferian

March 13, 2018

Thanks for helping my son with his vision impairment and opening his life and future.

Joe Z

March 13, 2018

Truely a remarkable man and innovator. Thank you for restoring my vision back on September 3, 1997 at BFS. You really understood what so many of us go thru with SJS/TENS. For everyone out there who wears scleral lens, thank you and godspeed Perry. See you in the future!!!!

Judy and Alan Tobin

March 11, 2018

Dear Bethann and Bill,
We send our sincere sympathy. Perry was our friend for over 46 years, our doctor and neighbor,
He has left quite a legacy

Jonathan Jacobson

March 11, 2018

Perry was an exceptionally gifted contact lens innovator who helped so many people regain their vision through the tireless efforts of his research and care. He was an early pioneer of scleral lens fitting for diseased eyes and through his visionary work (founder of the Boston Foundation for Sight) helped stimulate interest and the practice of fitting large gas permeable lenses for irregular corneas and seriously compromised eyes. I had the great pleasure and privilege of working for Polymer Technology Corporation when Perry was highly engaged in the business and helping set the direction and philosophy for new products. Perry lectured frequently about his work and developed many friendships across the world. He touched many lives, inspired and often challenged his collaborators, and left the world a better place. I'm sorry I did not have the chance to say my farewells. RIP.

Christian Krüsi

March 11, 2018

Please accept my deepest sympathies.

David Moreira

March 10, 2018

My first career position was working for Polymer Technology - a company that Perry founded. I was fortunate enough to get to know Dr. Rosenthal and was deeply inspired and guided by his leadership, dedication and passion for improving peoples lives through better vision. After my 30+ years in the eye care industry...I still believe! Thank you Dr. Rosenthal!

Raymond Brill, OD, MBA, FAAO, FOAA

March 10, 2018

Truly a legend, Perry's expertise has influenced the world of contact lens wearers and fitters, alike. It is rare that one man makes such large footprints that no one person will be able to fill. His legacy is everlasting.

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