Lejla Vajzovic | Scholars@Duke

Lejla Vajzovic
Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology

I am an ophthalmologist and vitreoretinal surgeon with expertise in pediatric and adult retinal diseases and surgery. I specialize in complex retinal detachments, diabetic retinopathy, small-gauge surgery, macular degeneration, retinal vascular occlusion, macular edema, macular holes, epiretinal membranes, vitreomacular traction, retinopathy of prematurity, familial exudative vitreoretinopathy, Coats’ disease, incontinentia pigmenti, Stickler’s syndrome and among others.

Additionally, I am a member of the Duke Pediatric Retina and Optic Nerve Center, with specific expertise and interest in advanced pediatric retinal surgery and the director of the Duke Center for Artificial and Regenerative Vision where I implant the Argus II “bionic eye” and restore vision to individuals with total blindness. One of my Argus II “bionic eye” surgeries was featured in the September 2016 issue of the National Geographic Magazine.

I am passionate about teaching the next generation of retinal surgeons, and I organize and direct several national and international courses which include: Advances in Pediatric Retina Course, the Duke Fellows’ Advanced Vitreoretinal Surgery Course, retina surgery courses at the American Academy of Ophthalmology Meeting, the American Society of Retina Specialists Meeting and the World Ophthalmology Congress Meeting. I am also interested in cutting edge technologies and recovery of vision in hereditary retinal diseases with retinal implants and stem cell technology.

I have received numerous prestigious honors and awards for excellence in clinical care and ophthalmology research: the Retina Society Fellowship Research Award, the Heed Ophthalmic Fellowship Award and the Society of Heed Fellows Award, the Knights Templar Eye Foundation Career Starter Research Award, the PDC’s ENhanced Academics in a Basic Laboratory Environment (ENABLE) Career Development Program Award, the American Society of Retinal Specialists Honor Award and the American Society of Retina Specialists 2015 Film Festival: Rhett Buckler Award Winner.

I am married and have two daughters. My favorite activity is spending time with my family. In my free time, I enjoy downhill skiing and running.

Current Appointments & Affiliations

Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, Ophthalmology, Vitreoretinal Diseases & Surgery, Ophthalmology 2013

Contact Information

lejla.vajzovic@duke.edu

Background
Education, Training, & Certifications
- Ophthalmology Residency, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami 2008 - 2011
- Internal Medicine Internship, Medicine, Saint Louis University School of Medicine 2007 - 2008
- Ophthalmic Pathology Fellowship, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami 2006 - 2007
- M.D., Mayo Medical School 2006
- B.S., University of Missouri at Columbia 2002
Duke Appointment History
- Clinical Associate in the Department of Ophthalmology, Ophthalmology, Clinical Science Departments 2012 - 2013
- Clinical Associate in the Department of Ophthalmology, Ophthalmology, Clinical Science Departments 2011 - 2012
Research
Selected Grants
- Intraoperative OCT Guidance of Intraocular Surgery awarded by National Institutes of Health 2018 - 2023
- Psychophysics-Guided Signal Processing for Retinal Prosthetics awarded by National Institutes of Health 2018 - 2020
- Analyzing retinal microanatomy in retinopathy of prematurity to improve care awarded by National Institutes of Health 2016 - 2020
- Volumetric Measurement of Subretinal Blebs Created with Orbit Subretinal Delivery Device and Using Microscope-Integrated Optical Coherence Tomography awarded by Orbit Biomedical 2018 - 2019
- Second Sight Argus II (PM-02-01) awarded by Second Sight Medical Products, Inc 2013 - 2019
- Subretinal drug delivery via a novel ab-externo approach using microscope integrated optical coherence tomography awarded by VitreoRetinal Surgery Foundation 2018 - 2019
- GX29633 PROXIMA awarded by Genentech, Inc. 2015 - 2019
- Photoceptor development in premature vs term infants awarded by Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc. 2013 - 2016
Publications & Artistic Works
Selected Publications
- Academic Articles
  - Finn, AP, House, RJ, Hsu, ST, Thomas, AS, El-Dairi, MA, Freedman, S, Materin, MA, and Vajzovic, L. "Hyperreflective Vitreous Opacities on Optical Coherence Tomography in a Patient With Bilateral Retinoblastoma." Ophthalmic Surgery, Lasers & Imaging Retina 50, no. 1 (January 2019): 50-52. Full Text
  - Hsu, ST, Chen, X, House, RJ, Kelly, MP, Toth, CA, and Vajzovic, L. "Visualizing Macular Microvasculature Anomalies in 2 Infants With Treated Retinopathy of Prematurity." Jama Ophthalmology 136, no. 12 (December 2018): 1422-1424. Full Text
  - Thomas, AS, Hsu, ST, and Vajzovic, L. "Orbital arteriovenous fistula presenting with choroidal pulsations on optical coherence tomography." American Journal of Ophthalmology Case Reports 12 (December 1, 2018): 36-38. Full Text
  - Ong, SS, Cummings, TJ, Vajzovic, L, Mruthyunjaya, P, and Toth, CA. "Comparison of Optical Coherence Tomography With Fundus Photographs, Fluorescein Angiography, and Histopathologic Analysis in Assessing Coats Disease." Jama Ophthalmology (November 21, 2018). Full Text
  - DuBose, T, Nankivil, D, LaRocca, F, Waterman, G, Hagan, K, Polans, J, Keller, B, Tran-Viet, D, Vajzovic, L, Kuo, AN, Toth, CA, Izatt, JA, and Farsiu, S. "Handheld adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope." Optica 5, no. 9 (September 20, 2018): 1027-1036. Full Text
  - Gabr, H, Chen, X, Zevallos-Carrasco, OM, Viehland, C, Dandrige, A, Sarin, N, Mahmoud, TH, Vajzovic, L, Izatt, JA, and Toth, CA. "VISUALIZATION FROM INTRAOPERATIVE SWEPT-SOURCE MICROSCOPE-INTEGRATED OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY IN VITRECTOMY FOR COMPLICATIONS OF PROLIFERATIVE DIABETIC RETINOPATHY." Retina (Philadelphia, Pa.) 38 Suppl 1 (September 2018): S110-S120. Full Text
  - Gregori, NZ, Callaway, NF, Hoeppner, C, Yuan, A, Rachitskaya, A, Feuer, W, Ameri, H, Arevalo, JF, Augustin, AJ, Birch, DG, Dagnelie, G, Grisanti, S, Davis, JL, Hahn, P, Handa, JT, Ho, AC, Huang, SS, Humayun, MS, Iezzi, R, Jayasundera, KT, Kokame, GT, Lam, BL, Lim, JI, Mandava, N, Montezuma, SR, Olmos de Koo, L, Szurman, P, Vajzovic, L, Wiedemann, P, Weiland, J, Yan, J, and Zacks, DN. "Retinal Anatomy and Electrode Array Position in Retinitis Pigmentosa Patients After Argus II Implantation: An International Study." American Journal of Ophthalmology 193 (September 2018): 87-99. Full Text
  - Ong, SS, Mruthyunjaya, P, Stinnett, S, Vajzovic, L, and Toth, CA. "Macular Features on Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging Associated With Visual Acuity in Coats' Disease." Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 59, no. 7 (June 2018): 3161-3174. Full Text
  - Chen, X, Mangalesh, S, Tran-Viet, D, Freedman, SF, Vajzovic, L, and Toth, CA. "Fluorescein Angiographic Characteristics of Macular Edema During Infancy." Jama Ophthalmology 136, no. 5 (May 2018): 538-542. Full Text
  - Cocce, KJ, Stinnett, SS, Luhmann, UFO, Vajzovic, L, Horne, A, Schuman, SG, Toth, CA, Cousins, SW, and Lad, EM. "Visual Function Metrics in Early and Intermediate Dry Age-related Macular Degeneration for Use as Clinical Trial Endpoints." American Journal of Ophthalmology 189 (May 2018): 127-138. Full Text
  - Hsu, ST, Gabr, H, Viehland, C, Sleiman, K, Ngo, HT, Carrasco-Zevallos, OM, Vajzovic, L, McNabb, RP, Stinnett, SS, Izatt, JA, Kuo, AN, and Toth, CA. "Volumetric Measurement of Subretinal Blebs Using Microscope-Integrated Optical Coherence Tomography." Translational Vision Science & Technology 7, no. 2 (April 5, 2018): 19-null. Full Text
  - Finn, AP, and Vajzovic, L. "Sheets Glide-Assisted Intraocular Placement of the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis." Ophthalmic Surgery, Lasers & Imaging Retina 49, no. 2 (February 2018): 132-133. Full Text
  - Oellers, P, Mowery, YM, Perez, BA, Stinnett, S, Mettu, P, Vajzovic, L, Light, K, Steffey, BA, Cai, J, Dutton, JJ, Buckley, EG, Halperin, EC, Marks, LB, Kirsch, DG, and Mruthyunjaya, P. "Efficacy and Safety of Low-Dose Iodine Plaque Brachytherapy for Juxtapapillary Choroidal Melanoma." American Journal of Ophthalmology 186 (February 2018): 32-40. Full Text
  - Finn, AP, Grewal, DS, and Vajzovic, L. "Argus II retinal prosthesis system: a review of patient selection criteria, surgical considerations, and post-operative outcomes." Clinical Ophthalmology (Auckland, N.Z.) 12 (January 2018): 1089-1097. (Review) Full Text
  - Thompson, AC, Luhmann, UFO, Stinnett, SS, Vajzovic, L, Horne, A, Toth, CA, Cousins, SW, and Lad, EM. "Association of Low Luminance Questionnaire With Objective Functional Measures in Early and Intermediate Age-Related Macular Degeneration." Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 59, no. 1 (January 2018): 289-297. Full Text
  - Finn, AP, Roehrs, P, Grace, SF, and Vajzovic, L. "Ischemic Retinal Vascular Disease in an Infant With Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis." Jama Ophthalmology 135, no. 11 (November 2017): 1277-1279. Full Text
  - Gabr, H, and Vajzovic, L. "Intraoperative 4-D microscope-integrated OCT: Real-time image acquisition can provide new types of information to the retina surgeon." Retina Today 2017, no. November-December (November 1, 2017): 54-56.
  - Qian, R, Carrasco-Zevallos, OM, Mangalesh, S, Sarin, N, Vajzovic, L, Farsiu, S, Izatt, JA, and Toth, CA. "Characterization of Long Working Distance Optical Coherence Tomography for Imaging of Pediatric Retinal Pathology." Translational Vision Science & Technology 6, no. 5 (October 16, 2017): 12-null. Full Text
  - Ong, SS, Buckley, EG, McCuen, BW, Jaffe, GJ, Postel, EA, Mahmoud, TH, Stinnett, SS, Toth, CA, Vajzovic, L, and Mruthyunjaya, P. "Comparison of Visual Outcomes in Coats' Disease: A 20-Year Experience." Ophthalmology 124, no. 9 (September 2017): 1368-1376. Full Text
  - Chen, X, Viehland, C, Carrasco-Zevallos, OM, Keller, B, Vajzovic, L, Izatt, JA, and Toth, CA. "Microscope-Integrated Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in the Operating Room in Young Children With Retinal Vascular Disease." Jama Ophthalmology 135, no. 5 (May 2017): 483-486. Full Text
  - Todorich, B, Thanos, A, Yonekawa, Y, Thomas, BJ, Faia, LJ, Chang, E, Shulman, J, Olsen, KR, Blair, MP, Shapiro, MP, Ferrone, P, Vajzovic, L, Toth, CA, Lee, TC, Robinson, J, Hubbard, B, Kondo, H, Besirli, CG, Nudleman, E, Wong, SC, Kusaka, S, Walsh, M, Chan, RVP, Berrocal, A, Caputo, G, Murray, TG, Sears, J, Schunemann, R, Harper, CA, Kychental, A, Dorta, P, Cernichiaro-Espinosa, LA, Wu, W-C, Campbell, JP, Martinez-Castellanos, MA, Quiroz-Mercado, H, Hayashi, H, Quiram, P, and Amphornphruet, A et al. "Correspondence." Retina (Philadelphia, Pa.) 37, no. 5 (May 2017): e52-e54. (Letter) Full Text
  - Grewal, DS, Tran-Viet, D, Vajzovic, L, Mruthyunjaya, P, and Toth, CA. "Association of Pediatric Choroidal Neovascular Membranes at the Temporal Edge of Optic Nerve and Retinochoroidal Coloboma." American Journal of Ophthalmology 174 (February 2017): 104-112. Full Text
  - Holbrook, JT, Sugar, EA, Burke, AE, Vitale, AT, Thorne, JE, Davis, JL, Jabs, DA, and Multicenter Uveitis Steroid Treatment (MUST) Trial Research Group, . "Dissociations of the Fluocinolone Acetonide Implant: The Multicenter Uveitis Steroid Treatment (MUST) Trial and Follow-up Study." American Journal of Ophthalmology 164 (April 2016): 29-36. Full Text
  - Grewal, DS, Stinnett, SS, Folgar, FA, Schneider, EW, Vajzovic, L, Asrani, S, Freedman, SF, Mruthyunjaya, P, and Hahn, P. "A Comparative Study of Rebound Tonometry With Tonopen and Goldmann Applanation Tonometry Following Vitreoretinal Surgery." American journal of ophthalmology 161 (January 2016): 22-8.e1-8-. Full Text
  - Kempen, JH, Van Natta, ML, Altaweel, MM, Dunn, JP, Jabs, DA, Lightman, SL, Thorne, JE, Holbrook, JT, and Multicenter Uveitis Steroid Treatment (MUST) Trial Research Group, . "Factors Predicting Visual Acuity Outcome in Intermediate, Posterior, and Panuveitis: The Multicenter Uveitis Steroid Treatment (MUST) Trial." American Journal of Ophthalmology 160, no. 6 (December 2015): 1133-1141.e9. Full Text
  - Tomkins-Netzer, O, Lightman, S, Drye, L, Kempen, J, Holland, GN, Rao, NA, Stawell, RJ, Vitale, A, Jabs, DA, and Multicenter Uveitis Steroid Treatment Trial Research Group, . "Outcome of Treatment of Uveitic Macular Edema: The Multicenter Uveitis Steroid Treatment Trial 2-Year Results." Ophthalmology 122, no. 11 (November 2015): 2351-2359. Full Text
  - Rothman, AL, Tran-Viet, D, Vajzovic, L, Tai, V, Sarin, N, Holgado, S, Gustafson, KE, Cotten, CM, Freedman, SF, and Toth, CA. "FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES OF YOUNG INFANTS WITH AND WITHOUT MACULAR EDEMA." Retina (Philadelphia, Pa.) 35, no. 10 (October 2015): 2018-2027. Full Text
  - Vajzovic, L, Rothman, AL, Tran-Viet, D, Cabrera, MT, Freedman, SF, and Toth, CA. "Delay in retinal photoreceptor development in very preterm compared to term infants." Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 56, no. 2 (January 13, 2015): 908-913. Full Text
  - Itty, S, Day, S, Lyles, KW, Stinnett, SS, Vajzovic, LM, and Mruthyunjaya, P. "Vitamin D deficiency in neovascular versus nonneovascular age-related macular degeneration." Retina (Philadelphia, Pa.) 34, no. 9 (September 2014): 1779-1786. Full Text
  - Perez, BA, Mettu, P, Vajzovic, L, Rivera, D, Alkaissi, A, Steffey, BA, Cai, J, Stinnett, S, Dutton, JJ, Buckley, EG, Halperin, E, Marks, LB, Mruthyunjaya, P, and Kirsch, DG. "Uveal melanoma treated with iodine-125 episcleral plaque: an analysis of dose on disease control and visual outcomes." International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics 89, no. 1 (May 2014): 127-136. Full Text
  - Elshatory, YM, Siatkowski, RM, Shah, VA, Vajzovic, L, and Mahmoud, TH. "Diagnostic and therapeutic challenges." Retina (Philadelphia, Pa.) 34, no. 3 (March 2014): 618-624. Full Text
  - Moysidis, SN, Vajzovic, L, Gregori, G, and Goldberg, JL. "Acute retinal pigment epithelium detachments after photocoagulation." Retina 34, no. 4 (2014): 749-760. Full Text
  - Wilson, JW, Vajzovic, L, Robles, FE, Cummings, TJ, Mruthyunjaya, P, and Warren, WS. "Imaging microscopic pigment chemistry in conjunctival melanocytic lesions using pump-probe laser microscopy." Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 54, no. 10 (October 21, 2013): 6867-6876. Full Text
  - Hendrickson, A, Possin, D, Vajzovic, L, and Toth, CA. "Histologic development of the human fovea from midgestation to maturity." American Journal of Ophthalmology 154, no. 5 (November 2012): 767-778.e2. Full Text
  - Vajzovic, L, Hendrickson, AE, O'Connell, RV, Clark, LA, Tran-Viet, D, Possin, D, Chiu, SJ, Farsiu, S, and Toth, CA. "Maturation of the Human Fovea: Correlation of Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography Findings With Histology." American Journal of Ophthalmology 154, no. 5 (November 1, 2012): 779-789.e2. Full Text
  - Hendrickson, A, Possin, D, Vajzovic, L, and Toth, CA. "Histologic development of the human fovea from midgestation to maturity." American journal of ophthalmology 154, no. 5 (2012): 767-778.e2. Full Text
  - Vajzovic, LM, Murray, TG, Aziz-Sultan, MA, Schefler, AC, Wolfe, SQ, Hess, D, Fernandes, CE, and Dubovy, SR. "Supraselective intra-arterial chemotherapy: Evaluation of treatment-related complications in advanced retinoblastoma." Clinical Ophthalmology 5, no. 1 (March 25, 2011): 171-176. Full Text
  - Hurmeric, V, Yoo, SH, Karp, CL, Galor, A, Vajzovic, L, Wang, J, Dubovy, SR, and Forster, RK. "In vivo morphologic characteristics of Salzmann nodular degeneration with ultra-high-resolution optical coherence tomography." American Journal of Ophthalmology 151, no. 2 (2011): 248-256.e2. Full Text
  - Vajzovic, LM, Karp, CL, Haft, P, Shousha, MA, Dubovy, SR, Hurmeric, V, Yoo, SH, and Wang, J. "Ultra high-resolution anterior segment optical coherence tomography in the evaluation of anterior corneal dystrophies and degenerations." Ophthalmology 118, no. 7 (2011): 1291-1296. Full Text
  - Vajzovic, LM, Murray, TG, Aziz-Sultan, MA, Schefler, AC, Fernandes, CE, Wolfe, SCQ, Hess, DJ, and Dubovy, SR. "Clinicopathologic review of enucleated eyes after intra-arterial chemotherapy with melphalan for advanced retinoblastoma." Archives of Ophthalmology 128, no. 12 (2010): 1619-1623. Full Text
  - Alegret, A, Cebulla, CM, Dubovy, SR, Mutapcic, L, Hess, DJ, and Murray, TG. "PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY AND VITRECTOMY FOR A LARGE OPTIC NERVE HEMANGIOMA WITH NEOVASCULARIZATION AND RETINAL DETACHMENT: A CLINICOPATHOLOGIC CORRELATION." Retinal Cases & Brief Reports 3, no. 1 (2009): 93-95. Full Text
  - Piña, Y, Cebulla, CM, Murray, TG, Alegret, A, Dubovy, SR, Boutrid, H, Feuer, W, Mutapcic, L, and Jockovich, M-E. "Blood vessel maturation in human uveal Melanoma: Spatial distribution of neovessels and mature vasculature." Ophthalmic Research 41, no. 3 (2009): 160-169. Full Text
  - Schefler, AC, Mutapcic, L, Murray, TG, and Dubovy, SR. "OPTIC NERVE INVASION FROM AN AMELANOTIC PERIPAPILLARY CHOROIDAL MELANOMA." Retinal Cases & Brief Reports 3, no. 4 (2009): 329-332. Full Text
  - Suh, LH, Dawson, DG, Mutapcic, L, Rosenfeld, SI, Culbertson, WW, Yoo, SH, O'Brien, TP, and Dubovy, SR. "Histopathologic Examination of Failed Grafts in Descemet's Stripping with Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty." Ophthalmology 116, no. 4 (2009): 603-608. Full Text
  - Pulido, JS, Peterson, LM, Mutapcic, L, Bryant, S, and Highsmith, WE. "LOC387715/HTRA1 and complement factor H variants in patients with age-related macular degeneration seen at the mayo clinic." Ophthalmic genetics 28, no. 4 (December 2007): 203-207. Full Text
  - Gao, G, Raikar, S, Davenport, B, Mutapcic, L, Montgomery, R, Kuzmin, E, and Bennett, KL. "Cross-species RNAi: Selected Ascaris suum dsRNAs can sterilize Caenorhabditis elegans☆." Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology 146, no. 1 (March 2006): 124-128. Full Text
  - Wren, SME, Leske, DA, Vajzovic, L, Fautsch, MP, and Holmes, JM. "The effect of L-thyroxine supplementation in a neonatal rat model of ROP." Curr Eye Res 31, no. 7-8 (2006): 669-674. Link to Item
  - Vajzovic, L, Wren, SME, Leske, DA, Fautsch, MP, and Holmes, JM. "The effect of L-thyroxine supplementation on retinal vascular development in neonatal rats." Curr Eye Res 30, no. 12 (2005): 1035-1040. Link to Item
  - Smith, P, Leung-Chiu, W-M, Montgomery, R, Orsborn, A, Kuznicki, K, Gressman-Coberly, E, Mutapcic, L, and Bennett, K. "The GLH Proteins, Caenorhabditis elegans P Granule Components, Associate with CSN-5 and KGB-1, Proteins Necessary for Fertility, and with ZYX-1, a Predicted Cytoskeletal Protein." Developmental Biology 251, no. 2 (November 2002): 333-347. Full Text
- Book Sections
  - Finn, AP, and Vajzovic, L. "Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy in Pregnancy." In Current Management of Diabetic Retinopathy, 115-121. October 28, 2017. Full Text
  - Rothman, AL, Maldonado, RS, Vajzovic, L, and Toth, CA. "Optical coherence tomography and wide-field fluorescein angiography in retinopathy of prematurity." In Retinopathy of Prematurity: Current Diagnosis and Management, 29-41. April 6, 2017. Full Text
  - Vajzovic, L, and Mruthyunjaya, P. "Retinal metastatic tumors." In Clinical Ophthalmic Oncology: Retinal Tumors, 91-102. January 1, 2014. Full Text
- Other Articles
  - McDonald, HR. "Diagnostic and therapeutic challenges." Retina (Philadelphia, Pa.) 21, no. 1 (January 2001): 62-64. Full Text
- Conference Papers
  - Todorich, B, Sharma, S, and Vajzovic, L. "SUCCESSFUL REPAIR OF RECURRENT OPTIC DISK PIT MACULOPATHY WITH AUTOLOGOUS PLATELET RICH PLASMA: REPORT OF A SURGICAL TECHNIQUE." December 2017. Full Text

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Education, Training, & Certifications

Duke Appointment History

Selected Grants

Selected Publications

Academic Articles

Book Sections

Other Articles

Conference Papers