Assist Prof. Nataša Drača, PhD, MD

• Specialist ophthalmologist
• Sub-specialist for the posterior ocular segment
• Department of Retina
• ivana.mravicic@svjetlost.hr

Education

Dr. sc. Nataša Drača after graduating from the Faculty of Medicine, worked as an assistant at the Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zagreb. In addition to working on her scientific paper, she conducted anatomy exercises for first-year medical and dental students in Croatian and English. In 2006, she attended a three-month training course at the University of Aberdeen School of Medicine. She completed her postgraduate study in Biomedicine and Health and her postgraduate study in Ophthalmology at Clinical Hospital Centre Rebro. She received her PhD in 2013 and completed her specialization in ophthalmology in 2014 at the Special Hospital for Ophthalmology Svjetlost. Since 2015 he is a research assistant at the Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka. She is the author or co-author of numerous abstracts presented at national and international congresses. She has published 16 papers with international peer-review (178 citations in total).

Work area

Dr. Drača, in addition to general ophthalmology, is closely specialized in diseases of the posterior segment of the eye in the field of medical retina:  treatment of diabetes damage on ocular background, senile macular degeneration, administration of intravitreal injections (Avastin, Lucentis, Eylea, Ozurdex), laser photocoagulation. She is actively involved in clinical studies related to the use of intravitreal injections in the treatment of macular degeneration (Fovista).

Publications and research

She has published 16 papers in CC (178 citations in total). She was a research assistant on the project of the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Republic of Croatia at the Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zagreb. As part of the publication of the papers, not only in the area of the posterior segment of the eye, she participates in corneal research and transplantation mechanisms. She has won awards for best lectures at international congresses: 2014. European Eye Bank Conference (EEBA), Lausanne, Switzerland; 2014. Croatian Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (CSCRS), award of the prof. dr. Ljiljana Zergollern Čupak and Krešimir Čupak foundation, 2015. European Association of Tissue banks (EATB).

Membership in Societies

• Member of the Croatian Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery - CSCRS
• Member of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery - ESCRS
• Member of the Congress Organizing Committee of the European Eye Banking Association
• Member of the Congress Organizing Committee of the Dubrovnik Ophthalmology Academy annual meeting in Dubrovnik, Croatia

Main publications

• Sampath TK, Simic P, Moreno S, Bukanov N, Draca N, Kufner V, Tikvica A, Blair A, Semenski D, Brncic M, Burke SK, Vukicevic S.Sevelamer Restores Bone Volume and Improves Bone Microarchitecture and Strength in Aged Ovariectomized Rats .Endocrinology. 2008;149(12):6092-102. Q1 (WoS), IF (5 year) 4.886
• Sampath TK, Simic P, Sendak R, Draca N, Bowe AE, O'Brien S, Schiavi SC, McPherson JM, Vukicevic S.Thyroid-stimulating hormone restores bone volume, microarchitecture, and strength in aged ovariectomized rats. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. 2007 ,22(6):849-59. Q1 (WoS), IF (5 year) 6.520
• Simic P, Culej JB, Orlic I, Grgurevic L, Draca N, Spaventi R, Vukicevic S. Systemically administered bone morphogenetic protein-6 restores bone in aged ovariectomized rats by increasing bone formation and suppressing bone resorption. Journal of Biological Chemistry 2006. 281(35):25509-21. Q1 (WoS), IF (5 year) 4.863
• Gavric M , Gabric N , Dekaris I , Bohac M , Draca N. Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty in the Treatment of Pseudoexfoliation Glaucoma in Patients Allergic to all Anti-Glaucoma Drops COLLEGIUM ANTROPOLOGICUM 2010. 34(2): 275-277. Q2 (Scimago), IF (5 year) 0,586
• Lazic R , Lukic M , Boras I , Draca N , Vlasic M , Gabric N , Tomic Z . Treatment of Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-Resistant Diabetic Macular Edema with Deaxamethasone Intravitreal Implant. RETINA-THE JOURNAL OF RETINAL AND VITREOUS DISEASES 2014. 34 (4): 719-724. Q1 (WoS), IF (5 year) 3,047
• Draca N , Lazic R , Simic P , Dumic-Cule I , Luetic AT , Gabric N . Potential beneficial role of sevelamer hydrochloride in diabetic retinopathy. MEDICAL HYPOTHESES 2013. 80(4): 431-435. Q2 (Scimago), IF (5 year) 1,196
• Dumic-Cule I , Brkljacic J , Rogic D , Niksic TB , Luetic AT , Draca N , Kufner V ,Trkulja V, Grgurevic L , Vukicevic . Systemically available bone morphogenetic protein two and seven affect bone metabolism. INTERNATIONAL ORTHOPAEDICS 2014. 38(9): 1979-1985. Q2 (WoS), IF (5 year) 2,116
• Dumic-Cule I , Draca N , Luetic AT , Jezek D , Rogic D , Grgurevic L , Vukicevic S .TSH Prevents Bone Resorption and with Calcitriol Synergistically Stimulates Bone Formation in Rats with Low Levels of Calciotropic Hormones. HORMONE AND METABOLIC RESEARCH 2014. 46(5): 305-312. Q2 (Scimago), IF (5 year) 2,050
• Draca N , Tikvica A , Eljuga D , Semenski D , Brncic M , Vukicevic S. Biomechanical Properties of Bones from Rats Treated with Sevelamer. COLLEGIUM ANTROPOLOGICUM 2011. 35(2): 557-563. Q2 (Scimago), IF (5 year) 0,586
• Eljuga , Razumovic JJ , Bulic K , Petrovecki M , Draca N , Bulic SO. Prognostic importance of PAI-1 in node negative breast cancer patients-Results after 10 years of follow up. PATHOLOGY RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2011. 207(5): 290-294. Q2 (Scimago), IF (5 year) 1,429
• Dekaris I ,Gabric N , Draca N , Pauk-Gulic M , Milicic N. Three-year corneal graft survival rate in high-risk cases treated with subconjunctival and topical bevacizumab. GRAEFES ARCHIVE FOR CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL OPHTHALMOLOGY 2015. 253(2): 287-294. Q2 (WoS), IF (5 year) 2,751
• Dekaris I , Gabric N , Pauk ,Draca N. Positive pressure during penetrating keratoplasty can be solved with a modified graft-over-host technique. ACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA 2014. 92(3): 282-285. Q2 (WoS), IF (5 year) 2,538
• Draca N , Covic , Pauk M , Pasalic A , Dekaris I . 1-Year Follow-up Study of Endothelial Cell Density Loss after Penetrating Keratoplasty. COLLEGIUM ANTROPOLOGICUM 2011. 35(2): 11-14. Q 2 (Scimago), IF (5 year) 0,586
• Bohac M , Gabric N , Anticic M , Draca N , Dekaris I . First Results of Intracor Procedure in Croatia . COLLEGIUM ANTROPOLOGICUM 2011. 35(2): 161-166. Q2 (Scimago), IF (5 year) 0,586
• Mravicic I, Gabrić N, Pasalić A, Glavota V, Draca N. Surgical treatment of residual esotropia. COLLEGIUM ANTROPOLOGICUM 2011. 35(2): 299-302. Q2 (Scimago), IF (5 year) 0,586
• Dekaris I , Mravicic I , Barisic A , Draca N , Pauk M . Amniotic Membrane Transplantation in the Treatment of Persistent Epithelial Defect on the Corneal Graft . COLLEGIUM ANTROPOLOGICUM 2010. 34(2): 15-19. Q2 (Scimago), IF (5 year) 0,586