Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmly

What Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmly does

Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary (Mass Eye and Ear) is a private, nonprofit academic medical center founded in 1824 and headquartered at 243 Charles Street, Boston. It is the primary teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School's Departments of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and a member of the Mass General Brigham health system. The institution delivers specialty clinical care exclusively across eye, ear, nose, throat, head, and neck conditions — including cornea, retina, glaucoma, neuro-ophthalmology, pediatric ophthalmology, audiology, head and neck cancer surgery, facial plastics, sinus, sleep medicine, thyroid/parathyroid, and voice/swallowing services — supported by a 24/7 dedicated emergency department that treats over 20,000 patients per year and is the only such facility in New England.

The organization operates through more than 20 physical locations across greater Boston and Providence, plus virtual visits and a dedicated International Patient Center. Underlying clinical capabilities rest on a research-to-care pipeline anchored by the Schepens Eye Research Institute (subsidiary since 2011), which together make Mass Eye and Ear the world's largest vision and hearing research center. The institution has pioneered several foundational ophthalmic technologies — Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), anti-VEGF therapy for wet AMD (Macugen and foundational science behind Lucentis), photodynamic therapy, and proton beam therapy for eye tumors — and is currently advancing OTOF gene therapy for inherited deafness (90% response rate, 2.5+ year durability in trial) and CALEC limbal stem cell transplantation for limbal stem cell deficiency (93% manufacturing success).

Revenue is generated through clinical care billed to insurance, Medicare/Medicaid, and self-pay patients (including a self-pay laser vision correction promotion at $500 per procedure or $250 per eye), supplemented by industry- and government-funded clinical research. The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer with patients acquired via physician referrals, scheduled appointments, walk-in emergency visits, and an international patient office. Notable commercial signals include a $1M Yawkey Foundation grant for ED renovation (September 2025), training of more than 80 current chiefs at peer institutions, and ongoing international collaborations with Fudan University (China), Aravind Eye Hospital (India), and LV Prasad Eye Institute (India).

Name

Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmly

Legal name

Massachusetts Eye and Ear

Website

https://masseyeandear.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1824

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary is a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital and Mass General Brigham member delivering specialty clinical care and research across ophthalmology and otolaryngology, serving patients through 20+ locations in greater Boston and Providence and a 24/7 dedicated emergency department.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Hospital Services - Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology

NAICS

Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals (62231), Offices of Optometrists (62132), Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (62134), Offices of Physicians (62111)

SIC

Services-General Medical & Surgical Hospitals, Nec (8062), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093)

akta.pro primary industry

Ophthalmic Specialty Hospitals (HLAFAHAJ)

Keywords

• Specialty hospital services
• Ophthalmology care
• Otolaryngology care
• Vision research
• Hearing research

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices22 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Patient Care Services: Clinical services including emergency department (24/7), outpatient visits, diagnostic tests, and surgical procedures across ophthalmology and otolaryngology specialties. Revenue generated through insurance reimbursements, government programs (Medicare/Medicaid), and patient payments.
2. Specialty Surgical Procedures: Advanced surgical interventions including cataract surgery, LASIK, cochlear implants, head and neck cancer surgery, thyroid/parathyroid surgery. Billed per procedure with facility fees.
3. Clinical Research: Government and industry-funded clinical trials generating research revenue while providing cutting-edge treatments to patients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Massachusetts Eye and Ear is a specialty academic medical center providing clinical care, research, and training in ophthalmology and otolaryngology. It operates a comprehensive portfolio of subspecialty clinical services spanning eye care (cornea, retina, glaucoma, cataract, neuro-ophthalmology, pediatric ophthalmology, refractive surgery, ophthalmic plastic surgery) and ear, nose, throat, head and neck care (audiology, head and neck cancer, facial plastics, sinus, sleep medicine, thyroid/parathyroid surgery, voice and swallowing). The institution runs New England's only 24/7 dedicated eye and ENT emergency department, conducts clinical trials including gene therapies for inherited deafness and blindness, and serves as the primary teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School's Departments of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology.

Product overview

Mass Eye and Ear is a specialized academic medical center offering a comprehensive portfolio of clinical services across ophthalmology (eye care) and otolaryngology (ear, nose, throat, head and neck care), with supporting clinical and support services. The institution operates as a single integrated healthcare delivery system rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture, organized into distinct clinical subspecialties including Cornea, Retina, Glaucoma, Neuro-Ophthalmology, Audiology, Head and Neck Cancer Surgery, Facial Plastics, Sinus Center, Sleep Medicine, Thyroid/Parathyroid Surgery, and Voice/Swallowing services, among others. Supporting infrastructure includes emergency care (New England's only 24/7 dedicated ENT/eye emergency department), hyperbaric medicine, radiology, interpreter services, and a patient portal (Mass General Brigham Patient Gateway). The institution also conducts clinical trials for experimental treatments including gene therapies for inherited deafness and CRISPR-based treatments for inherited blindness.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Optometry and Contact Lens Service Comprehensive eye examinations, eyeglass prescriptions, and contact lens fitting services including specialty lenses for keratoconus, astigmatism, bifocal, prosthetic, and post-surgical applications. For patients requiring corrective lenses and specialty contact lens fitting.
• Retina Service Diagnosis and treatment of retinal diseases including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachment, and inherited retinal disorders using advanced tools and clinical trials. For patients with retinal conditions.
• Cornea Service Treatment of corneal diseases including stem cell transplantation, ocular surface reconstruction, lamellar keratoplasty, artificial cornea transplants, and Corneal Tissue Addition Keratoplasty (CTAK). For patients with common, complex, and high-risk corneal and external diseases.
• Glaucoma Service Full-spectrum glaucoma care including medical therapy, traditional surgery, and minimally invasive glaucoma surgeries (MIGS) for patients of all ages with all forms and stages of the disease.
• Neuro-Ophthalmology Service Treatment of complex central nervous system disorders affecting vision including optic neuritis, ischemic optic neuropathy, brain tumors, strokes, myasthenia gravis, and diplopia. Sees just under 6,000 patients each year.
• Laser Vision Correction/Refractive Surgery Laser eye surgery including LASIK, SMILE, PRK, EVO ICL implantable lenses, and refractive lens exchange for correction of nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, and presbyopia.
• Comprehensive Ophthalmology and Cataract Consultation Routine eye exams, cataract surgery, and management of common eye problems performed by comprehensive ophthalmologists at multiple Boston-area locations.
• Pediatric Ophthalmology Eye care for children including routine vision screenings and treatment of conditions such as retinopathy of prematurity, childhood cataract, glaucoma, strabismus, and amblyopia, in collaboration with Children's Hospital.
• Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery Surgical treatment of functional disorders of eyelids, eye socket, and tear drainage system, plus cosmetic procedures including eyelid surgery, BOTOX, and injectable treatments.
• Ocular Immunology and Uveitis Service Diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory eye diseases (uveitis) and immunological disorders, working across retina, cornea, immunology, and uveitis specialties.
• Audiology and Hearing Services Hearing assessment, hearing aids, cochlear implants, bone conduction devices, auditory brainstem implants, and pediatric hearing services across 11 locations in Eastern Massachusetts.
• General Ear, Nose, and Throat Care Initial assessment and treatment for wide variety of ENT disorders in adults and children including infections, throat/swallowing disorders, voice problems, nasal/sinus disorders, and thyroid conditions. Provided by 70+ physicians across 15 locations.
• Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Reconstructive and cosmetic procedures including rhinoplasty, facial nerve disorders, skin cancer treatment, laser procedures, and microtia/ear reconstruction at five New England locations.
• Head and Neck Cancer Surgery Diagnosis, treatment, reconstruction, and rehabilitation of head and neck cancers using advanced surgical techniques including microvascular surgery, robotic surgery, and skull-base surgery.
• Rasmussen Family Sinus Center Evaluation and treatment of sinus problems including chronic sinusitis, nasal congestion, smell/taste disorders, nasal polyps, tumors, and CSF leaks using latest medical and surgical techniques.
• Sleep Medicine and Surgery Diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders including snoring, sleep apnea, insomnia, and narcolepsy, with hypoglossal nerve stimulation treatment available for obstructive sleep apnea.
• Thyroid and Parathyroid Endocrine Surgery High-volume surgical treatment of thyroid and parathyroid disorders using intraoperative nerve monitoring in over 3,500 cases, with radiofrequency ablation clinic for non-surgical tumor reduction.
• Voice, Swallowing, and Breathing Centers Laryngology services for voice box and upper airway disorders, plus Voice and Speech Laboratory for evaluation and rehabilitation of voice and throat conditions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of 42 participants showed hearing improvement from OTOF gene therapy with results lasting 2.5+ years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Schepens Eye Research Institute of Mass. Eye and EarflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Merger in 2011 created the world's largest vision and hearing research center. The institute became a subsidiary of the Mass. Eye and Ear Foundation, combining Mass Eye and Ear's clinical expertise with Schepens' basic science research capabilities.
• Harvard Medical SchoolflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMass Eye and Ear is a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School and serves as the flagship research and teaching hospital of the Harvard Medical School Department of Ophthalmology.
• Mass General BrighamflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMass Eye and Ear is a member of Mass General Brigham healthcare system, providing integrated care across academic medical centers and specialty hospitals.
• Fudan University (Shanghai Eye and ENT Hospital)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational clinical trial collaboration for OTOF gene therapy for inherited deafness. Researchers from Mass Eye and Ear and Fudan University jointly published findings in Nature (April 2026) demonstrating 90% response rate in 42 participants.
• Massachusetts General HospitalflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdjacent campus providing reciprocal medical and surgical support. Mass Eye and Ear clinicians staff MGH Department of Ophthalmology. Shared emergency department coordination and tertiary referrals.
• Brigham and Women's Hospital and Brigham and Women's Faulkner HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMass Eye and Ear ophthalmologists provide comprehensive and subspecialty care, including 24/7 emergency eye care and trauma coverage at these affiliated hospitals.
• Children's Hospital Ophthalmology FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration providing world-class pediatric eye care for children with the full range of eye conditions. Mass Eye and Ear clinicians staff comprehensive pediatric ophthalmology and adult strabismus service.
• Aravind Eye Hospital (Madurai, India)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic partnership for eye care research and training collaboration.
• LV Prasad Eye Institute (Hyderabad, India)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic partnership for eye care research and training collaboration.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stein Eye Institute (UCLA): UCLA's ophthalmology specialty center with strong research and clinical programs; directly comparable as a leading academic ophthalmology institution on the West Coast.
• Wilmer Eye Institute (Johns Hopkins): Johns Hopkins' ophthalmology specialty center, combining research, education, and patient care; directly comparable to Mass Eye and Ear as an academic ophthalmology leader.
• Wills Eye Hospital: A specialty hospital in Philadelphia dedicated exclusively to ophthalmology; among the oldest and most prominent eye hospitals in the U.S., directly comparable to Mass Eye and Ear as a leading academic specialty eye institution.
• New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai: Specialty hospital focused on eye and ENT care, now part of the Mount Sinai Health System; the closest direct peer given the eye and ear specialty focus and academic medical center affiliation.
• Bascom Palmer Eye Institute: University of Miami Health System's ophthalmology specialty hospital, consistently ranked among the top eye institutions in the U.S.; directly comparable as a research-driven ophthalmology specialty provider.
• Byers Eye Institute (Stanford): Stanford's ophthalmology specialty center with cutting-edge research; directly comparable as a leading academic ophthalmology institution with translational research focus.
• House Clinic: Los Angeles-based specialty practice focused on otology and neurotology (ear and hearing disorders); directly comparable as a leading specialty ENT provider with research and clinical focus.
• Michigan Medicine Kellogg Eye Center: University of Michigan's ophthalmology and visual sciences center; directly comparable as a leading academic ophthalmology institution with strong research and clinical programs.

Broad incumbents

• Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute: Cleveland Clinic's ophthalmology center, part of a broader multispecialty academic medical system; comparable to Mass Eye and Ear as a research-active ophthalmology provider within a larger integrated delivery network.
• Mayo Clinic Department of Ophthalmology: Mayo Clinic's ophthalmology department, embedded in a broader multispecialty academic medical center; comparable as a top-tier research and clinical ophthalmology program within a diversified system.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/masseyeandear
• Facebookfacebook.com/masseyeandearnews
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/massachusetts-eye-and-ear

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmly