Barraquer Institute was founded on April 15, 1947 by Ignacio Barraquer and his wife, Josefa Moner. The Institute is an independent self-funded scientific association devoted to research and teaching of ophthalmology, the exchange of ideas and scientific discovery, improvement and diffusion of medical and surgical therapies, and general promotion of ophthalmology.

Since 1947, Instituto Barraquer imparts ophthalmologic specialization courses for postgraduates. In 1972, Joaquín Barraquer officially inaugurated the Professional School for Ophthalmologic Specialization (Escuela Profesional de Especialización Oftalmológica), dependent from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and affiliated to its Medicine Faculty.

The Institute collaborates with Centro de Oftalmología Barraquer in the MIR specialization programs (medical resident), where there are five accredited seats for each course.

As from 1993, the Barraquer Institute remained assigned to the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), as Institut Universitari Barraquer. Its main objectives are basic clinical research in ophthalmology, courses for further training in ophthalmology, scientific information exchange and, in general, institutional collaboration in research and educational fields.