In June of 1926, Dr. Wiley Ross Buffington (1875-1950) succeeded Dr. Feingold as Chairman of the Eye Department. He was a general practitioner until 1919, when he was 44 years old. At that time he began specialty training at the Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Hospital in New Orleans. In 1921, at age 46, he began the practice of ophthalmology as the junior associate of Dr. H. Dickson Bruns, who was Professor of Diseases at the Polyclinic.
Dr. Buffington served as Chairman from age 51 until he retired in 1940, at the age of 65.