Professor Ratimir Lazić, PhD, MD

• Retinal surgeon
• Sub-specialist for diseases of the posterior ocular segment 
• Head of the Retina Department 
• Contact: ratimir.lazic@svjetlost.hr

Education

Professor Lazić, PhD graduated from the School of Medicine University of Zagreb and completed the residency in ophthalmology under the mentorship of prof. Nikica Gabrić Md PhD. He completed his vitreo-retinal surgery fellowship at the Svjetlost Eye Hospital with visiting vitreo-retinal surgeon dr. Zoran Tomić MD, Head of the Vitreo-retinal Surgery Department at University Eye Hospital Uppsala Sweeden. He further trained  with dr. Lyndon da Cruz and dr. Carl Claes during their visits to Svjetlost.

Professor Lazić completed  postgraduate courses in molecular biology at the School of Science, University of Zagreb, where he earned his science master's degree. He earned his PhD degree on the Treatment of Age-related Macular Degeneration at the School of Medicine, University of Rijeka , where he holds the position of clinical associate professor. He teaches at the postgraduate courses  in ophthalmology at the Schools of Medicine in Zagreb and Rijeka. 

Work area

Surgical skills: minimally invasive vitrectomy (23 gauge,5000 cpm) in retinal detachment (silicone oil or gas tamponade), complex retinal detachemnt with PVR, in diabetic retinopathy with tractional retinal detachment or proliferative diabetic retinopathy, macular diseases (macular pucker, VMT and macular hole), eye injury and removal of intraocular foreign bodies, uveitis and endophthalmitis surgery. Combined cataract and vitrectomy surgery. Phacoemulsification cataract surgery with standard, multifocal and toric intraocular lenses implantation. Iris-claw lenses and phakic lCL lenses implantation. Scleral tunnel IOLs fixation. Number of retinal surgeries performed  approx 1500. Number of cataract surgeries performed approx 6000.

Introduction of  new therapeutic and diagnostic methods

Verteporfin photodynamic therapy in age-related macular degeneration (2004.), therapy for the posterior eye segment diseases (macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema, retinal vascular diseases) with intravitreal injections (triamcinolon 2004., bevacizumab 2005., ranibizumab 2007., dexamethasone intravitreal implants 2011, aflibercept 2013).

Digital Fluorescein Angiography (2003.), Optical Coherent Tomopgraphy (2005.), Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (2016).

In Croatia, he was one of the first to perform bimanual minimally invasive 23 and 25 gauge vitrectomy  with chandeleir light and using vital dyes (Dual Blue and Brilliant peel) and high speed cutters.

Publications and research

He published 14 papers indexed in CC, with most important pioneering papers on  treatment of Age-related Macular Degeneration with Avastin and Photodynamic Therapy and DME  (Graefe Archives 2006, Ophthalmology 2007, Retina 2013). Investigator in various multicultural randomized studies in development of new retinal drugs (e.g. Principal Investigatoer at Optotech Fovista Clinical Trial at Svjetlost)

Membership in Societies

He is a full member of the American Society of Retinal Specialists since 2005 and regularly participates in the annual meetings since 2006. (Palm Springs, Hawaii, Vancouver, New York, Boston, Toronto, San Diego, Vienna, San Francisco).

Invited panelist at RETINAWS vitreoretinal surgical course ASRS Boston 2017.
Invited panelist Duke Surgical Rounds vitreoretinal course ASRS Vancouver 2018.

Major Peer Reviewed Papers

• Autologous Neurosensory Retinal Free Flap Treatment for a Large Macular Hole. LAZIC R, Draca N, Cerovic V, Katic D, Mladenovski S, Gabric N. Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2018 Sep 1;49(9).
• Treatment of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor-resistant diabetic macular edema with dexamethasone intravitreal implant; LAZIC R, Lukic M., Boras I., Draca N.,Vlasic M., Gabric N., Tomic Z. ; Retina 2013, Aug 22.
• Potential beneficial role of sevelamer hydrochloride in diabetic retinopathy;Draca N., LAZIC R, Simic P., Dumic-Cule I., Luetic AT,Gabric N.; Med Hypotheses2013 Apr;80(4):431-5.
• Anti-VEGF in treatment of diabetic macular edema; Boras I., LAZIC R, GabrićN.,Lukić M., Dekaris I.; Collegium Antroplogicum. 35(Suppl2):15-8,2011Sep
• AntiVEGF in Treatment of Central Retinal Vein Occlusion; LAZIC R, Boras I., VlasicM., Gabric N., Tomic Z.; Collegium Antropologicum.34(Suppl2):69-72,2010 Apr.
• Comparison of Diffractive and Refractive Multifocal Intraocular Lenses in Presbyopia Treatment; Barišić A., Dekaris I., Gabric N., Bohac M., Romac I., MravicicI., LAZIC R; Collegium Antropologicum.32(Suppl2):27-31,2008 Oct.
• Verteporfin therapy and intravitreal bevacizumab combined and alone in choroidal neovascularizationdue to age –related macular degneration; LAZIC R, Gabric N.;Ophthalmology.114(6):1179-1185, 2007 Jun.
• Blue light filtering intaraocular lenses in phacoemulsification cataract surgery; BarišićA., Dekaris I., Gabric N., Bosnar D., LAZIC R, Martinović ZK, Krstonijević EK, ; Collegium Antropologicum.31(Suppl1):57-60,2007 Jan.
• Photodynamic therapy combined with intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin) in treatment with choroidal neovascularization secondary to age related macular degeneration;LAZIC R, Gabric N.; Dekaris I., Gavric M., Bosnar D Collegium Antropologicum.31(Suppl1):71-75,2007 Jan.
• Intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin) in treatment of neovascular age related macular degneration; LAZIC R, Gabric N.; Dekaris I., Šarić B, Gavric M.; Collegium Antropologicum. 31(Suppl1):77-87,2007 Jan.
• Intravitreally administered bevacizumab (Avastin) in a minimally classic and occult choroidal neovascularization secondary to age related macular degneration; LAZIC R,Gabric N.; Graefes Archive for Clinical and Experimental Opthalmology 245(Suppl1):68-73, 2007 Jan.
• Influence of interleukin-1 alpha and tumor necrosis factor – alpha production on corneal graft survival; Bosnar D., Dekaris I. Gabric N., Markotic A., LAZIC R.,Spoljaric N.; Croatian Medical Journal 47( Suppl 1): 59-66, 2006 Feb.
• IL -1 alpha production in human corneal scars; Dekaris I., Gabric N., Bosnar D., Gagro A.,Markotic A., LAZIC R.; Collegium Antropologicum. 29(Suppl1):81-84,2005.
• Gastricpentadecapeptide BPC 157 promotes corneal epithelial defects healing in rats;LAZIC R., Gabric N., Dekaris I., Bosnar D., Boban – Blagaic A., Sikiric P.;Collegium Antropologicum. 29(Suppl1):321-325,2005 Jun.
• Multylayer vs.monolayer amniotic membrane transplantation for deep corneal ulcer treatment;Dekaris I., Gabric N., Mravicic I., Karaman Z., Katusic J., LAZIC R., SpoljaricN.; Collegium Antropologicum. 25(Suppl5):23-28,2001 Jun.