The U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best Hospitals has named Bascom Palmer Eye Institute as the nation’s best in ophthalmology—for the 25th time and 23rd-straight year.
Big news! Can you refresh me on these rankings?
You bet we can.
The U.S. News & World Report first began surveying U.S. physicians for this ranking in 1990.
For the 2026-27 rankings: The publication ranked U.S. hospitals in 14 adult specialties while also recognizing hospitals by state, metro, and regional areas for their work in 24 “more widely performed” procedures and conditions.
In total: Nearly 4.5K hospitals and +300K physicians were surveyd—and just 178 hospitals ranked in at least one of those aforementioned specialties.
- Check out the publication’s methodology behind this.
And who else made the list?
Following behind Bascom Palmer’s top score (at 33.5%) on the leadership board were:
- (#2) Wills Eye Hospital, Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals (25.7%)
- (#3) Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Hospital (18.0%)
- (#4) Mass Eye and Ear, Massachusetts General Hospital (16.8%)
- (#5) Stein and Doheny Eye Institutes, UCLA Medical Center (13.5%)
Noted. Next, let’s take a closer look at Bascom Palmer.
As part of Florida’s University of Miami Health System, Bascom Palmer first opened its doors in 1962 as the first research center in the southeastern U.S. focused exclusively on studying and treating the eye.
- Its founder: Edward W.D. Norton, MD, a neuro-ophthalmologist and retinal specialist
- Its namesake: Bascom H. Palmer, MD, a Miami-based ophthalmologist
Fast forward to today: The institute operates as the Department of Ophthalmology at Miami U’s Miller School of Medicine, offering medical and surgical care to +300K patients each year across five patient care centers in Florida.
So what has the institute been up to lately?
Most recently (effective Aug. 3): Bascom Palmer appointed glaucoma specialist Pradeep Y. Ramulu, MD, MHS, PhD, as the institute’s (and the Department of Ophthalmology’s) new chair.
- See here for some background on Dr. Ramulu.
- Notably: He succeeds Eduard C. Alfonso, MD, who served in the dual role since 2007.
And within the last year: The institute announced plans to open a state-of-the-art facility in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates as part of its first international expansion outside of the United States.
- The intent: to establish Bascom Palmer Abu Dhabi, as the facility will be called, “as a regional hub for world-class ophthalmic care, research and education.”
How about on the research front?
Click here for the institute’s latest research news (and here for more clinic care updates).
Also: Check out some of our own recent coverage.
Anything else to note?
Outside of the U.S. News ranking: Bascom Palmer’s ophthalmology residency program was also recognized among the best in the country by Doximity, an online professional network for U.S. physicians.
See its status—plus the other three schools’ programs that made the cut.