Ozge Sarac

Ozge Sarac, MD

Associate Professor

Department: MD-OPHTHALMOLOGY
Business Phone: (352) 265-2020

About Ozge Sarac

Hello, my name is Dr. Ozge Sarac. I have over 20 years of experience in ophthalmology, specializing in corneal diseases, contact lens fitting for irregular corneas, anterior segment and cataract surgeries, and refractive surgery. I am committed to advancing the field of ophthalmology through both patient care and education. I take pride in sharing my knowledge and experience with medical students, residents, and fellows, ensuring the next generation of ophthalmologists is well-equipped to address the evolving needs of patients.

I completed my medical degree and ophthalmology residency at Hacettepe University in Turkiye, then specialized in cornea and external eye diseases, as well as neuro-ophthalmology, with a particular interest in managing ectatic corneal disorders such as keratoconus, pellucid marginal degeneration, and post-LASIK ectasia. In 2019, I earned my professorship in ophthalmology from Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University. Between 2012 and 2022, I served as the co-director of the National Keratoconus and Refractive Surgery Center in Ankara, where I contributed to advancements in treating complex corneal conditions.

To refine my clinical and academic expertise, I completed clinical fellowships in cornea and neuro-ophthalmology at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia between 2022 and 2024. In addition to my clinical practice, I am an active researcher. I spent a year at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore and another year at the John Curtin School of Medical Research at the Australian National University in Canberra, focusing on research. To date, I have authored more than 90 peer-reviewed articles, contributed book chapters, and co-edited textbooks on corneal diseases and refractive surgery. I am proud to serve as a reviewer for more than 13 prestigious ophthalmology journals.

Outside of work, I enjoy cooking, reading, gardening, and traveling to explore new cultures and cuisines. These activities allow me to relax, find inspiration, and create cherished memories with my three wonderful daughters.

Board Certifications

  • Florida Medical License
    FL Board of Medicine

Clinical Profile

Specialties
  • Ophthalmology
Subspecialties
  • Cornea and External Diseases Specialist
  • LASIK and Laser Vision Correction
Areas of Interest
  • Adult cataract
  • Blindness and vision loss
  • Corneal transplant
  • Dry eye syndrome
  • Fuchs dystrophy
  • Keratoconus
  • LASIK Eye Surgery
  • Pterygium

Publications

Academic Articles
2024
Tomographic, Biomechanical, and In Vivo Confocal Microscopic Changes in Cornea in Chronic Gout Disease.
Ocular immunology and inflammation. 32(10):2428-2435 [DOI] 10.1080/09273948.2024.2397448. [PMID] 39241174.
2023
A Review of the Categorizations of Mild, Moderate, and Severe Bacterial Keratitis Ulcers and Day-1 Treatment Regimen When Using the Topical Fluoroquinolones 0.3% Ciprofloxacin and 0.3% Ofloxacin.
Current therapeutic research, clinical and experimental. 99 [DOI] 10.1016/j.curtheres.2023.100729. [PMID] 38090721.
2023
Incidence and Pattern of Neuro-Ophthalmological Disorders Presenting to Vitreoretinal Clinics in Bhutan: A 3-Year National Study.
Clinical ophthalmology (Auckland, N.Z.). 17:107-114 [DOI] 10.2147/OPTH.S396879. [PMID] 36636624.
2022
36-Month Outcomes of Mechanical and Transepithelial PTK Epithelium Removal Techniques Prior to Accelerated CXL for Progressive Keratoconus.
Journal of refractive surgery (Thorofare, N.J. : 1995). 38(3):191-200 [DOI] 10.3928/1081597X-20220114-03. [PMID] 35275008.
2022
Dynamics of keratoconus progression after a previous successful accelerated crosslinking treatment during and after pregnancy.
Journal of cataract and refractive surgery. 48(5):599-603 [DOI] 10.1097/j.jcrs.0000000000000801. [PMID] 34433777.
2021
Evaluation of corneal topography, tear film function and conjunctival impression cytology after long-term scleral contact lens wear in keratoconus patients.
Seminars in ophthalmology. 36(7):490-496 [DOI] 10.1080/08820538.2021.1890148. [PMID] 33645428.
2021
Xanthine oxidase enzyme activity in keratoconic corneal epithelium.
International ophthalmology. 41(3):1063-1069 [DOI] 10.1007/s10792-020-01665-1. [PMID] 33389422.
2020
Relationship between tear eotaxin-2 and MMP-9 with ocular allergy and corneal topography in keratoconus patients.
International ophthalmology. 40(1):51-57 [DOI] 10.1007/s10792-019-01149-x. [PMID] 31363950.
2019
Investigation of Heme Oxygenase 2 Enzyme Protein Expression in Keratoconus and Normal Human Corneal Epithelium: An Immunohistochemical Study.
Current eye research. 44(1):25-29 [DOI] 10.1080/02713683.2018.1521980. [PMID] 30196728.
2019
Sterile keratitis after uneventful corneal collagen cross-linking in a patient with Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome.
International ophthalmology. 39(5):1169-1173 [DOI] 10.1007/s10792-018-0907-1. [PMID] 29594793.
2019
Transepithelial Phototherapeutic Keratectomy Followed by Corneal Collagen Crosslinking for the Treatment of Pellucid Marginal Degeneration: Long-term Results.
Cornea. 38(8):980-985 [DOI] 10.1097/ICO.0000000000002003. [PMID] 31107284.
2018
Accelerated versus standard corneal collagen cross-linking in pediatric keratoconus patients: 24 months follow-up results.
Contact lens & anterior eye : the journal of the British Contact Lens Association. 41(5):442-447 [DOI] 10.1016/j.clae.2018.06.001. [PMID] 29910023.
2018
Chiari 1 malformation with optic disc drusen.
Neuro-ophthalmology (Aeolus Press). 42(4):256-260 [DOI] 10.1080/01658107.2017.1400571. [PMID] 30042799.
2018
Mechanical versus transepithelial phototherapeutic keratectomy epithelial removal followed by accelerated corneal crosslinking for pediatric keratoconus: Long-term results.
Journal of cataract and refractive surgery. 44(7):827-835 [DOI] 10.1016/j.jcrs.2018.04.039. [PMID] 30055691.
2018
Optical Performance of the Cornea One Year Following Keratoconus Treatment with Corneal Collagen Cross-Linking.
Current eye research. 43(12):1415-1421 [DOI] 10.1080/02713683.2018.1501802. [PMID] 30012019.
2018
Shifting of the Line of Sight in Tilted Disk Syndrome.
Eye & contact lens. 44 Suppl 2:S33-S36 [DOI] 10.1097/ICL.0000000000000406. [PMID] 28628489.
2017
Biomechanical evaluation of cornea in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.
International ophthalmology. 37(4):1017-1024 [DOI] 10.1007/s10792-016-0368-3. [PMID] 27709370.
2017
Evaluation of the Tear Function Tests and the Ocular Surface in First-Time Users of Silicone Hydrogel Contact Lenses.
Current eye research. 42(7):976-981 [DOI] 10.1080/02713683.2016.1276194. [PMID] 28306352.
2017
Outcomes of corneal collagen crosslinking using a customized epithelial debridement technique in keratoconic eyes with thin corneas.
International ophthalmology. 37(1):103-109 [DOI] 10.1007/s10792-016-0234-3. [PMID] 27097560.
2017
Pupillary Offset in Keratoconus and its Relationship with Clinical and Topographical Features.
Current eye research. 42(5):708-712 [DOI] 10.1080/02713683.2016.1242752. [PMID] 27897442.
2017
The Effect of Perioperative Topical Ketorolac 0.5% on Macular Thickness after Uneventful Phacoemulsification.
Journal of ophthalmology. 2017 [DOI] 10.1155/2017/4271671. [PMID] 29333291.
2017
The Prevalence of Dry Eye and Sjögren Syndrome in Patients with Migraine.
Ocular immunology and inflammation. 25(3):370-375 [DOI] 10.3109/09273948.2015.1132739. [PMID] 26910594.
2016
Can Corneal Biomechanical Properties Give Clues About Elasticity of Optic Nerve Scleral Component in Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy?
Journal of neuro-ophthalmology : the official journal of the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society. 36(3):285-9 [DOI] 10.1097/WNO.0000000000000406. [PMID] 27389626.
2016
Factors Influencing Progression of Keratoconus 2 Years After Corneal Collagen Cross-Linking in Pediatric Patients.
Cornea. 35(12):1503-1507 [DOI] 10.1097/ICO.0000000000001051. [PMID] 27741013.
2015
Corneal Biomechanical Properties in Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Eye & contact lens. 41(6):382-5 [DOI] 10.1097/ICL.0000000000000142. [PMID] 25839346.
2015
Mechanical epithelial removal followed by corneal collagen crosslinking in progressive keratoconus: short-term complications.
Journal of cataract and refractive surgery. 41(8):1730-7 [DOI] 10.1016/j.jcrs.2014.12.058. [PMID] 26432132.
2015
The Effect of Corneal Epithelium on Corneal Curvature in Patients with Keratoconus.
Seminars in ophthalmology. 30(5-6):364-71 [DOI] 10.3109/08820538.2013.874490. [PMID] 24571684.
2014
Efficacy of intralesional bevacizumab administration in primary pterygium: a quantitative analysis.
Eye & contact lens. 40(1):46-50 [DOI] 10.1097/ICL.0000000000000004. [PMID] 24335454.
2013
Evaluation of corneal and anterior chamber changes following pterygium surgery using a Pentacam Scheimplug system: a prospective study.
Seminars in ophthalmology. 28(4):206-9 [DOI] 10.3109/08820538.2012.760617. [PMID] 23617535.
2012
Anatomic and functional outcome of triamcinolone-assisted 23-gauge vitrectomy in vitreomacular traction syndrome.
Seminars in ophthalmology. 27(3-4):73-7 [DOI] 10.3109/08820538.2012.680640. [PMID] 22784270.
2012
Angioedema after intravitreal bevacizumab injection.
Cutaneous and ocular toxicology. 31(1):85-6 [DOI] 10.3109/15569527.2011.609207. [PMID] 22309281.
2012
Comparison of tear osmolarity and ocular comfort between daily disposable contact lenses: hilafilcon B hydrogel versus narafilcon A silicone hydrogel.
International ophthalmology. 32(3):229-33 [DOI] 10.1007/s10792-012-9556-y. [PMID] 22484700.
2012
Differentiation of optic disc edema from optic nerve head drusen with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography.
Journal of neuro-ophthalmology : the official journal of the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society. 32(3):207-11 [DOI] 10.1097/WNO.0b013e318252561b. [PMID] 22473041.
2012
Late corneal perforation with topical diclofenac sodium use after radiotherapy.
Eye & contact lens. 38(3):197-9 [DOI] 10.1097/ICL.0b013e318235c4ed. [PMID] 21993588.
2012
Neuro-ophthalmologic findings in humans with quadrupedal locomotion.
Ophthalmic genetics. 33(4):249-52 [DOI] 10.3109/13816810.2012.689412. [PMID] 22686558.
2011
Tear meniscus analysis with Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography in keratoconus.
Current eye research. 36(6):528-33 [DOI] 10.3109/02713683.2011.569869. [PMID] 21591861.
2003
Tear eotaxin levels in giant papillary conjunctivitis associated with ocular prosthesis.
Ocular immunology and inflammation. 11(3):223-30 [PMID] 14566648.

Education

Clinical Fellow Cornea
2023-2024 · Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, PA
Clinical Fellow Neuro-Ophthalmology
2022-2023 · Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, PA
Research Adjunct Associate Professor
2015 · John Curtin School of Medical Research, Canberra, Australia
Neuro-Ophthalmology
2011 · Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkiye
Research Fellow, Cornea and External Disease Service
2007 · Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
Research Fellow, Cornea and External Disease Service
2003 · Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
Resident in Ophthalmology
2000 · Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkiye
Intern in Medicine
1996 · Hacettepe University Medical School Hospital, Ankara, Turkiye
MD
1996 · Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkiye

Contact Details

Phones:
Business:
(352) 265-2020
Addresses:
Business Mailing:
UF Health Eye Center – The Oaks
PO Box 100383
Gainesville FL 32610
Business Street:
UF Health Eye Center – The Oaks
6201 W Newberry Rd
Gainesville PA 32605