Eye Clinic 'Svjetlost

Eye Clinic Svjetlost (Croatian: Poliklinika Svjetlost) is one of Southeast Europe's largest and most advanced private ophthalmology centers, founded in 2001 in Zagreb by Professor Nikica Gabrić — a prominent Croatian eye surgeon and internationally recognized authority in refractive and corneal surgery. Since its establishment, the clinic has grown from a single Zagreb location into a multi-site specialist network with facilities in Zagreb, Rijeka, and Osijek, and has pursued international expansion to extend its specialist services beyond Croatia's borders.

In February 2009, the Zagreb flagship clinic relocated to a newly constructed, purpose-built eight-story facility in the center of the city, accessible by public transportation and with dedicated private parking for patients and visitors. This state-of-the-art building was designed specifically to meet the highest contemporary requirements for a premium-level ophthalmic care center. With clinical talent capable of managing more than 3,000 ophthalmic surgical procedures each year, Svjetlost operates at a scale and quality level that positions it among the leading eye surgery institutions in the broader Central and Southeast European region.

The clinic's philosophy centers on a patient-focused, quality-driven approach to specialist eye care, combining world-class surgical expertise with the latest diagnostic and treatment technologies. Three core clinical departments structure the clinic's specialist activity: the Refractive and Corneal Surgery department (which also houses an eye bank), the Cataract and Glaucoma department, and the Retinal department. Each department maintains dedicated consulting rooms, diagnostic suites, and spacious waiting areas.

For patients requiring overnight care, the clinic provides one- and two-bed apartment-style patient rooms on the fourth floor with 24-hour nursing supervision. A preoperative preparation and recovery floor on the fifth level is equipped with monitoring systems for patients preparing for or recovering from surgery. Two modern, fully equipped operating theatres feature high-class operating microscopes, phacoemulsification machines, and vitrectomy systems, with strictly controlled air and temperature management. A sixth-floor conference room with teleconference capability allows live video transmission from operating theatres, supporting surgical education and specialist collaboration.

Eye Clinic Svjetlost delivers the full spectrum of modern ophthalmic subspecialty care, positioning itself as a comprehensive one-stop center for all eye conditions across all age groups.

Refractive and Corneal Surgery is the department for which Svjetlost has built its strongest international reputation. The clinic performs LASIK, LASEK, PRK, SMILE, and wavefront-guided laser vision correction procedures using advanced laser platforms including WaveLight and Alcon systems, offering patients the most current technologies for spectacle and contact lens independence. Corneal cross-linking for keratoconus, phakic intraocular lens implantation for high refractive errors, and full-thickness and lamellar corneal transplantation are also performed. The department maintains its own eye bank, supporting corneal tissue procurement, storage, and distribution for transplantation procedures.

The Cataract and Glaucoma department manages two of the most common blinding conditions worldwide. Cataract surgery is performed using microincision phacoemulsification with premium intraocular lens implantation, including multifocal, toric, and extended-depth-of-focus lenses. Glaucoma management spans medical therapy, laser procedures (selective laser trabeculoplasty, laser iridotomy), and surgical interventions including trabeculectomy and minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS).

The Retinal department addresses the full range of vitreoretinal diseases, including diabetic retinopathy and macular edema, age-related macular degeneration (wet and dry), retinal detachment, macular holes, epiretinal membrane, and vitreous disease. Vitreoretinal surgery and intravitreal injection therapy are core services.

Pediatric Ophthalmology evaluates and treats children with strabismus, amblyopia, congenital cataract, and pediatric refractive errors. Neuro-ophthalmology and oculoplastics round out the comprehensive clinical offering. A state-of-the-art diagnostic platform supports all departments with advanced imaging including optical coherence tomography (OCT), fundus photography, corneal topography, and biometry.

The Eye Clinic Svjetlost flagship facility at Bukovačka 27/1, Zagreb, is an eight-story purpose-built ophthalmic center designed to the highest standards of a specialist private medical facility. Each floor serves a distinct clinical function, creating a logical, patient-centered flow through the center from registration through consultation, diagnostics, preoperative care, surgery, and recovery.

Consulting and diagnostic floors house multiple physicians' offices, a comprehensive suite of ophthalmic diagnostic equipment, and spacious, well-appointed waiting areas. The diagnostic platform includes optical coherence tomography (OCT), confocal corneal microscopy, corneal topography and tomography (Pentacam), anterior segment photography, fundus photography, fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography, automated perimetry, biometry, electrophysiology, and ultrasound B-scan — providing one of the most complete diagnostic arrays available in an outpatient ophthalmic setting in the region.

The two fully equipped operating theatres on dedicated surgical floors feature high-quality operating microscopes (Zeiss and equivalent), Alcon phacoemulsification and vitrectomy platforms, WaveLight and other excimer laser systems for refractive surgery, and laminar airflow systems with precise temperature and humidity control. Both theatres support live video transmission to the conference and education suite above.

The fourth floor provides overnight patient accommodation in private one- and two-bed apartment-style rooms, each with 24-hour nursing care — an unusual and valued facility for ophthalmic patients who require observation following surgery. The fifth floor serves as the preoperative preparation and postoperative monitoring area, with patient monitoring equipment for those awaiting or recovering from surgical procedures.

The sixth-floor conference and teleconference facility enables live surgical transmission for educational and collaborative purposes. Clinic locations also operate in Rijeka and Osijek, extending the Svjetlost specialist network across Croatia. Dedicated patient parking is available at the Zagreb site.

Eye Clinic Svjetlost has established a strong and well-deserved reputation as a destination for medical tourism in ophthalmology. Patients from Austria, Germany, the United Kingdom, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, and other European countries travel to Svjetlost specifically for high-quality laser refractive surgery, cataract surgery, and vitreoretinal procedures at prices significantly lower than those charged for equivalent procedures in Western Europe — without any compromise in technology or surgical expertise.

The clinic is fully equipped to serve non-Croatian-speaking international patients. English, German, and Italian are spoken by clinical and administrative staff, enabling direct communication across the majority of Western European patient populations. The clinic's international patient team can assist with appointment scheduling, pre-travel consultation by phone or video, coordination of pre-operative investigation requirements, and post-operative follow-up arrangements that can be managed in the patient's home country after their visit to Zagreb.

Croatia's EU membership and central European location make travel to Zagreb straightforward from most European capitals. Zagreb International Airport is well-connected by direct flights from Austria, Germany, the UK, and many other European hubs. The clinic can provide guidance on local accommodation suitable for patients traveling alone or with companions.

For patients considering laser refractive surgery — LASIK, LASEK, PRK, or SMILE — a pre-operative assessment appointment is required to confirm candidacy before a treatment date is confirmed. The clinic's diagnostic suite provides all necessary pre-operative examinations. Post-operative care instructions and emergency contact protocols are provided to all international patients on discharge to support safe management of their recovery at home.

Eye Clinic Svjetlost holds ISO 9001 certification for its quality management systems, affirming that its processes for clinical service delivery, patient management, and operational administration meet internationally recognized standards for quality assurance and continuous improvement. This certification is independently audited on a regular basis, providing an external verification of the clinic's commitment to systematic, measurable quality management.

As a private specialist medical facility operating in Croatia — a European Union member state since 2013 — Světlost is subject to Croatian Ministry of Health licensing requirements and the EU medical device regulatory framework that governs the laser platforms, intraocular lenses, and other medical devices used in its procedures. All excimer laser and femtosecond laser platforms in use at the clinic comply with EU CE marking requirements and applicable ISO standards for ophthalmic medical devices.

Professional staff at Svjetlost hold medical qualifications recognized across EU member states under the EU mutual recognition of professional qualifications system. The clinic's founder and surgical team have maintained active engagement with international ophthalmology societies and continuing medical education, ensuring that clinical practice reflects current evidence and evolving best practices in refractive, cataract, and vitreoretinal surgery. The clinic operates under Croatian healthcare law and is registered with and inspected by the relevant Croatian health regulatory authorities.