Professor Paulo-Eduardo Stanga

Prof. Paulo Eduardo Stanga is the Founder & Chief Medical Officer, and Lead Consultant Vitreoretinal & Cataract Surgeon at The Retina Clinic – London Ophthalmic Institute and Professor of Ophthalmology at Institute of Ophthalmology/University College London (UCL).

With over 30 years’ experience in Ophthalmology and a focus on Medical and Surgical Retina, including Macular Degeneration, Diabetic Retinopathy, Vitreous Floaters, Cataracts, Retinal Laser, R&D New Therapies, Surgical Technology, Advanced Imaging & Clinical Studies, Professor Stanga is committed to advancing the realm of eye care and is dedicated to transforming lives through pioneering work in Ophthalmology.

In a relentless pursuit of excellence and with the aim of delivering personalised and bespoke eye care, after leaving the NHS in 2019 following a 21 years’ experience, Professor Stanga founded The Retina Clinic – London Ophthalmic Institute, the UK’s first independent and self-contained with fully equipped on-site operating theatre retina clinic with on-site academic and research activities, including participation in industry sponsored clinical trials. These initiatives are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of eye care, fostering innovation, developing new diagnostic and treatment techniques for the betterment of patients and very importantly, providing patient choice outside of the NHS not only in terms of clinical care but also of access to clinical trials.

His contributions extend to having set up an independent Clinical & Research Fellowship Program at The Retina Clinic London.

Prof. Stanga introduced Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) into the clinical setting in the UK (1998), Pascal® Laser (EU, 2006), pioneered Ultra-Widefield Imaging (Intl., 2006), and introduced Swept-Source OCT (EU, 2012), Widefield SS OCT (Intl. 2019) as well as Simultaneous Ultra Widefield FFA and Navigated Peripheral OCT (Intl. 2022).

Developed the new Hypersonic Vitrectomy technology for Bausch and Lomb Health from Lab Bench (2012) to FDA 510(k) Clearance, First-in-Human (2017) and EU Introduction (2018).

Former Principal Investigator (PI) and Surgeon in a Gene Therapy Study in RP (RPGR); results published in Nature Medicine (2020).

First-Ever Gene Therapy surgery in the UK in the Independent Sector as part of a clinical study in Geographic Atrophy in Dry AMD (2020).

First UK Diabetic Eye and Age-Related Macular Degeneration Private Screening Services (Set up & Directs 2021).

First commercial intravitreal injection of Vabysmo® (Faricimab) in Exudative AMD outside the U.S. (2022).

Pioneering Multiwavelength (since 2006) and OCT Imaging of the Vitreous (since 2012) and YAG Laser Vitreolysis for the treatment of Vitreous Floaters (since 2018).

Prof. Stanga has extensive experience in Artificial Vision and electronic retinal implants. He had pioneered the Argus II Electronic Retinal Implant for Artificial Vision in Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) (Intl. 2009) and has subsequently set-up and was PI and Surgeon for a the first-ever Study of Artificial Vision and the Argus II in Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). Successfully implanted the First-in-Human Electronic Retinal Implants in AMD (2016). He has also performed first Argus II implantations in RP in several countries, helping set up local artificial vision programs. Prof. Stanga has delivered presentations on Artificial Vision and his research in electronic retinal implants at several prestigious international meetings and has co-authored 12 peer-reviewed publications in the field.

Current Clinical Studies: Intravitreal and Subretinal Gene Therapy in Inherited Retinal Dystrophies, Geographic Atrophy and Neovascular AMD; Anti-Complement lntravitreal lnjections; Laser Ablation and Selective Vitrectomy for Vitreous Floaters and Opacities; Navigated Widefield Peripheral OCT; Vitreous lmaging and Artificial Vision.

Prof. Stanga is Principal Investigator (PI) in over 20 international multicentre clinical trials, and UK Chief Investigator (CI) in over 10 of them. These clinical trials range from phase 1 to phase 3, and all related activities are carried out at The Retina Clinic – London Ophthalmic Institute.

Actively publishes in peer-reviewed scientific journals with an H-Index of 40 and over 100 peer-reviewed publications. ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3338-2055

His innovative contributions to retinal surgery and participation in the development of groundbreaking treatments have earned him internationally prestigious recognition, including the Award for Outstanding Contribution to Ophthalmology in Singapore (2006) and the American Academy of Ophthalmology Achievement Award (2011).

Prof. Stanga is a Liveryman at The Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers and Freeman of the City of London.