Robert Petrarca

Biography

GMC Number: 6159543

Mr Robert Petrarca MD (Res) FRCOphth MBBS MCOptom BSc (Hons) is a consultant ophthalmologist and ophthalmic surgeon. He is an Optegra Ambassador and Regional Clinical Lead and is currently the UK lead for the glaucoma service at Optegra. His specialist interests include high volume cataract surgery and glaucoma surgery and has completed over 10,000 cataract procedures.

Mr Petrarca has extensive experience in all areas of eye heath care over the past 25 years; from primary to secondary care and NHS, private and independent health care providers. His roles have included clinical, management and leadership roles, including developing and rolling out new clinical services from the proposal stage to patient access.

Mr Petrarca was elected to the Royal College of Ophthalmologists Regional Representative role for the South West Thames region for six years and has been President of the Southern Ophthalmology Society for five years.

Mr Petrarca studied medicine at Guy’s, King’s & St. Thomas’ Medical School, London and went on to complete his ophthalmology resident training in the London & South Thames deanery. He was awarded his MD (Res) degree from King’s College London, UK, for his thesis on new treatments in ophthalmology. He also holds a BSc (Hons) degree in Optometry and Visual Science from City St George’s, University of London, UK and was awarded membership of the College of Optometrists, UK.

He previously held a substantive NHS consultant post at Epsom & St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust as Lead for Cataract Surgery and Research for five years. He also ran a busy NHS and private cataract service at Ashtead and North Downs Hospitals in Surrey.

He has active research interests in the latest therapies and has been published in multiple international peer-reviewed journals and presented at national and international ophthalmology conferences.