Lejla Vajzovic, MD, FASRS
Dr. Vajzovic is a vitreoretinal surgeon and tenured Professor of Ophthalmology, Pediatrics and Biomedical Engineering at Duke University with expertise in adult and pediatric retinal diseases and surgery.
Dr. Vajzovic is passionate about translational research and collaborates closely with Duke biomedical engineers to develop imaging devices to improve ophthalmic care. She serves as a principal investigator for numerous national clinical trials in early to late stages of development. Her research interests span from pediatric to adult retinal diseases such as dry and wet age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and venous occlusive diseases, as well as vitreoretinal surgical diseases.
In addition, Dr. Vajzovic is interested in cutting edge technologies and recovery of vision in hereditary and common retinal diseases with gene-therapy, stem cell technology and retinal implants. She is a co-director of the Duke Pediatric Retina and Optic Nerve Center, and directs the Duke Center for Artificial and Regenerative Vision, where she performs gene-therapy delivery, and devices implantation to restore vision to individuals with total blindness.
An influential educator, she organizes and directs several highly successful national and international courses, including the first-of-its-kind Advances in Pediatric Retina Course at Duke and the international Duke fellows and general Advances in Vitreous Surgery Course. She is director of prestigious Duke Vitreoretinal Surgical Fellowship and director of Duke Eye Center’s Continuing Medical Education program.
Dr. Vajzovic completed her vitreoretinal fellowship training at Duke and residency training at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, FL. While in training, she received Heed Fellowship Award, Society of Heed Fellows Award and Retina Society Research Award. She is active on the Women in Ophthalmology (WIO) Board of Directors where she serves as Vice President and a Chair of Clinical Trial Training Program. In addition, she serves as a Retina Society American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Council Representative and American Society of Retina Specialist (ASRS) Research and Safety in Therapeutics Committee Member. She is elected member of the Retina Society, Macula Society and Club Jules Gonin Society. Dr. Vajzovic has been awarded the AAO Achievement Award, ASRS Senior Honor Award, Vit Buckle Society Mentorship Award, Real World Ophthalmology Mentorship Award, WIO Emerging Leader Award and Emerging Leader Award by Duke University School of Medicine and Duke Medical Alumni Association.