Introduction
Saul Rajak is an ophthalmologist. He consults and operates in general ophthalmology including cataract and cataract surgery, dry eyes, ophthalmic emergencies and trauma and glaucoma. He has a specialist interest in eyelid (oculoplastic), tear drainage (lacrimal) and socket (orbital) surgery including functional and cosmetic eyelid surgery such as upper and lower lid blepharoplasty and ‘eye bag’ surgery, endoscopic lacrimal and orbital surgery. He is internationally known in these fields.
Training
Mr Rajak graduated from Nottingham in 2000 as one of 5 students in his year with Honours and received several undergraduate prizes. He undertook specialist ophthalmology training in the London region including at the Sussex Eye Hospital, Moorfields Eye Hospital and St Thomas’ Hospital. He did his first fellowship in oculoplastic (eyelid), orbital (eye socket) and lacrimal (tear drainage) at the Sussex Eye Hospital and his second fellowship at The Royal Adelaide Hospital, Australia. This is one of the most prestigious and demanding fellowships in the world and incorporates extensive training and surgery in oculoplastics, but in particular eyelid tumour surgery, endoscopic surgery, lacrimal and orbital surgery (under pioneers in this field, Professor Dinesh Selva, Professor PJ Wormald and Associate Professor Alkis Psaltis), thyroid eye disease management and surgery and major combined head and neck cases with neurosurgery, craniofacial surgery and plastic surgery colleagues.
Clinical and surgical skills
Mr Rajak is a highly accomplished oculoplastic, cataract, orbital and lacrimal surgeon surgeon. He has undertaken over 250 endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomies (DCR) and 100 endoscopic orbital decompression procedures. He has performed over 2000 cataract procedures. Mr Rajak is known internationally for his surgery training video website: www.eyesurgeryvideos.net which has hundreds of edited, narrated surgical videos demonstrating techniques, pathology and anatomy for a wide range of oculoplastic, orbital and lacrimal conditions and is used by oculoplastic surgeons around the world.
Research
Mr Rajak is very active in research. He has authored over 60 publications, 1 full textbook and 3 textbook chapters (see publications section of website for further details). He has active ongoing research in the following fields:
• Eyelid tumours: principle investigator of laboratory research into the genetic pathways of sebaceous gland carcinoma which is a rare but potentially fatal eyelid tumour.
• Orbital inflammation: investigator examining the clinical and laboratory features of inflammatory diseases of the orbit.
• Trachoma: His PhD thesis entitled ‘studies into the management of trachomatous trichiasis’ was undertaken in Ethiopia, through the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. It investigated the features and surgical treatment of the scarring stages of trachoma, which is one of the commonest causes of blindness worldwide (over 2 million blind). The findings of the research, which have been published in highly acclaimed peer-reviewed journals have resulted in major improvements in the management of this blinding eye disease worldwide.
• Lacrimal (tear drainage) investigations: principle investigator of studies to develop MRI imaging of tear drainage and investigator in studies comparing imaging modalities for lacrimal drainage disorders.
Mr Rajak has been awarded numerous research awards and prizes including: The Shorney Prize, Adelaide University 2016, The London School of Ophthalmology Annual Conference prize 2013, The Treacher Collins Prize, Royal College of Ophthalmologists Annual Congress 2013, The Annual Poster Presentation Award of the British Oculoplastic Surgery Society 2012, The Ian Fraser Cup, Oxford Ophthalmological Congress (2008, 2009 and 2010), The Brighton and Sussex University Hospital Audit prize 2005
Teaching
Mr Rajak is a very active clinical and surgical teacher. He runs an intensive oculoplastic training fellowship and trains numerous junior ophthalmologists.
Current Appointments
• Consultant Ophthalmologist, Sussex Eye Hospital, Brighton and Sussex University Hospital
• Honorary Lecturer, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
• Associate Clinical Lecturer, Discipline of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Australia