Dr Lewis Levitz is a highly experienced ophthalmic surgeon, with a special interest in conventional and laser cataract surgery. He offers his patients the latest in lens technology such as toric and multifocal intraocular lenses. Dr Levitz also has a special interest in reconstructive eyelid surgery (oculoplastics), including eyelid correction, repair and reconstruction, and management of eyelid cancers. In addition to these specialty areas, Dr Levitz also treats general ophthalmological disorders. He is the National Medical Director of Vision Eye Institute.
Produced a virtual textbook on laser cataract surgery – one of the first instruction manuals to describe the technique
Part of an international team that showed that laser cataract surgery is safer than traditional cataract surgery
Part of the original team showing the benefit of correcting low amounts of astigmatism during cataract surgery
Published a paper validating the safety benchmark of laser assisted cataract surgery and manual conventional cataract surgery
Other professional achievements
Regular contributor to the Australian Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons annual meetings
Published papers and presented lectures on toric and multifocal intraocular lenses
Reviewer of articles for the Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, Journal of Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology and Asia-Pacific Journal of Ophthalmology
Presents audits of lid cancer management at RANZCO meetings to ensure optimal patient care
Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO) leadership
Victorian Branch Committee member 2012–2022
Treasurer of the Victorian Branch 2015–2022
One of the councillors representing the Victorian Ophthalmologist at Federal Council 2016–2021
Dr Levitz presenting at the AUSCRS meeting in Uluru, 2013.
Dr Levitz presenting at the AUSCRS meeting in Hamilton Island, 2017.
Professional memberships
American Society of Cataract and Refractive surgery
Australian Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons
College of Medicine of South Africa
Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists
Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
Awards
Muthusamy medal for outstanding achievement, Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (1999/2000)
Design Excellence Award from the South African Bureau of Standards – awarded to the consortium who developed the South African orbital implant (2007)
Helen Keller Poster Award, International Society of Ocular Trauma (ISOT), Rome Congress (2006)
Elie Dahan Ophthalmic Surgical Prize for Registrar of the Year (1999)
Stortz (Bausch and Lomb) Achievement Award (1999)
Tetje Patterson Bequest for Ophthalmic Research (1998)
Education & training
Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBCh), University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
Master of Medicine (MMed), University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
Ophthalmology training, Johannesburg Hospital teaching circuit, South Africa
Fellowship in oculoplastic surgery, University Hospital of Wales, UK
Research & publications
Dr Levitz has been involved in a range of research projects investigating cataract surgery outcomes, intraocular lens technology, glaucoma and eye trauma.
Dr Levitz has presented multiple papers and lectures on the incidence, management and cause of cystoid macular edema (CME). His letter to the Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery was the first to suggest no difference between the rate of CME in patients undergoing laser cataract surgery and manual blade cataract surgery.
Dr Levitz is part of the team that published the first papers on low (less than 0.7D) diopter of astigmatism correction with an Alcon intraocular lens. He is also part of the team that published the first paper on the Panoptix trifocal lens.