Paul Levatin

Paul Levatin, M.D. 1913 ~ 2007 Passed away on December 28th, 2007. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, he received an M.S. in Chemistry from M.I.T. and an M.D. from Tufts University. Dr. Levatin interned at the Brooklyn Jewish Hospital. While a captain in the Army in Washington, DC during World War II, Dr. Levatin became an Ophthalmologist. After the war he practiced for two years in New York City, thereafter joining Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, as their first Ophthalmologist. For the next 35 years, as Chief of the Eye Department, Dr. Levatin instructed many new doctors and nurses. During this time, he published twelve papers. The most well known describes his test for optic nerve disease, the "swinging flashlight test", from which a film was made. The film won an award from Smith, Miller and Patch in 1965 recognizing his important contribution to medicine through cinematography. The award was presented to Dr. Levatin at the 70th Convention of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. In 1962, he coauthored with physicist Harvey White, an article in Scientific American , "Floaters in the Eye". Dr. Levatin was made a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons in 1963. He was well loved by his colleagues and patients. Dr. Levatin has become a legend in Kaiser Permanente. His outside interests included running a cattle ranch and tree farm. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Evelyn, and two children.