ZACHARY J. ZAVODNI, MD

Dr. Zavodni serves as Medical Director, Owner, and Surgeon at The Eye Institute of Utah/SurgiCare Center of Utah (2014–present), where he provides clinical leadership, oversees surgical protocols, and mentors other ophthalmologists in advanced surgical techniques.

Dr. Zavodni holds the position of Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Utah, John A. Moran Eye Center (2014–present), where he contributes to medical education and clinical training in ophthalmology.

Dr. Zavodni is an active contributor to the peer-reviewed ophthalmologic literature and serves as an editor and author for leading professional publications. His research interests include corneal disease management, cataract surgery efficiency, refractive outcomes, and IOL technology.

• Editor: The Pocket Guide to Cataract Surgery, 1st edition (SLACK, 2020–present)
• Clinical Editor: EyeWorld monthly magazine (2017–2018)

• Zavodni ZJ. “Visual Outcome and Patient Satisfaction with a New Trifocal, Toric Intraocular Lens.” Clinical Ophthalmology. In press, 2026.
• Chamberlin W, Rao N, Lin A, Chan C, Meghpara B, Rocha K, Khandelwal S, Rhee M, Zavodni Z, Garg S, Farid M. “Ocular Surface Toxicity of Antibody Drug Conjugates: Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, Grading, and Treatment of Ocular Adverse Effects Associated with an Emerging Class of Cancer Therapeutics.” Cornea. In press, 2026.
• Parkhurst G, Brinton J, Faulkner A, Moshifar M, Kugler L, Stahl J, Zavodni Z, Thompson V, Price F, Wiley W, Aronsky M, Whitman J, Solomon J, Perkins S, Packer M, Egamino J. “Three Year Results from the United States FDA Prospective Multicenter Clinical Study of the EVO/EVO+ Implantable Collamer Lens.” Clinical Ophthalmology. Vol 5(19): 3237-3248. Sep 2025.
• Yeu E, Garg S, Ayres B, Beckman K, Chamberlin W, Lee B, Raju L, Rao N, Rocha K, Schallhorn J, Zavodni Z, Mah F, Farid M. “Current State and Future Perspectives in the Diagnosis of Eyelid Margin Disease: Clinical Review.” Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery. Vol 50(8): 868-875. Aug 2025.
• Rocha K, Farid M, Raju L, Beckman K, Ayres B, Yeu E, Rao N, Chamberlin W, Zavodni Z, Lee B, Schallhorn J, Garg S, Mah F. “Eyelid Margin Disease: Clinical Review of Evidence-Based and Emerging Treatments.” Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery. Vol 50(8): 876-882. Aug 2025.
• Zavodni ZJ, Pan LC, Mok K, Cheng H, O’Boyle D. “End-to-end Impact of a Cloud-Based Surgical Planning System on Efficiency in Cataract Surgery: A Time-and-Motion Study.” Clinical Ophthalmology. July 2023; 17: 1885-1896.
• Zavodni ZJ. “Visual Outcomes of a new Diffractive Trifocal IOL.” American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery Annual Meeting. San Diego, CA. May 2023.
• Zavodni ZJ, Cionni RJ. “Binocular Outcomes of a New Trifocal IOL.” American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery 2020 Annual Meeting. Presentation.
• Blackney KA, Zavodni ZJ, Saddawi-Konefka D. “The Anesthetic Implications of Aqueous Drainage Devices and Glaucoma: A Report of a Patient Undergoing Urgent Prone Cervical Decompression and Fusion.” AA Case Reports. Vol 7(3): 63-6. Aug 2016.
• Zavodni ZJ, Meyer J, Kim T. “Clinical Features and Outcomes of Retained Lens Fragments in the Anterior Chamber after Phacoemulsification.” American Journal of Ophthalmology. Vol 160(6): 1171-1175. Dec 2015.
• Lindstrom RL, Zavodni ZJ, Hardten DR, Rubinfeld R, Shetty S. “Refractive Crosslinking for Keratoconus and Post-LASIK Ectasia: Initial Experience of CXL Combined with CK and Intacs.” American-European Congress of Ophthalmic Surgery 2014 Annual Meeting. Presentation.
• Samuelson TW, Zavodni ZJ, Ibach M. “Inferonasal versus Inferotemporal iStent.” American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery 2014 Annual Meeting. Presentation.
• Zavodni ZJ, Ibach M, Reeves SW, Hardten DR. “Outcomes of Keratoconus Treated with Combination of Collagen Cross Linking, Conductive Keratoplasty, and Intrastromal Corneal Ring Segments.” American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery 2014 Annual Meeting. Abstract.

• Zavodni ZJ. Editorial. “Real-World Outcomes of Sutureless Scleral Fixation of IOLs.” Cataract and Refractive Surgery Today Europe. January 2024.
• Zavodni ZJ. Editorial. “Flanged Intrascleral Haptic Fixation.” Cataract and Refractive Surgery Today Europe. July/August 2021.
• Zavodni ZJ. Editorial. “How to Transition an Associate to an Owner.” Ophthalmology Management. Jan 2021.
• Zavodni ZJ. Book Chapter: “Complex Cases.” The Pocket Guide to Cataract Surgery, 1st edition. SLACK 2021.
• Zavodni ZJ. Book Chapter: “Epithelial Ingrowth.” Cornea Curbside, 2nd edition. SLACK 2020.
• Zavodni ZJ, Kim T. Book Chapter: “This is How I Do It. Limbal Relaxing Incisions,” 1st edition.
• Zavodni ZJ, Shieh C., Delmonte D., Gupta P. Book Chapter: “Cornea.” The Resident’s Handbook to Ophthalmology Clinical Trials, 1st edition.
• Zavodni ZJ, Bhatti MT. Book Chapter: “Blepharospasm.” Encyclopedia of Neurological Science, 2nd edition.

Dr. Zavodni is a frequent invited speaker at national and international ophthalmology conferences, including the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) Annual Meetings, ASCRS Winter Break Meetings, ASCRS Summer Meetings, and continuing education programs for ophthalmology residents. His presentations cover topics including complex cataract management, corneal crosslinking, refractive surgery outcomes, IOL technology, and surgical pearls.

Presentations include:

• “What Makes a Cataract Complex” – IJCAHPO lecture series at American Academy of Ophthalmology, Orlando, FL (October 2025)
• “Refractive Surgery with Implantable Collamer Lenses” – Utah Optometric Association Continuing Education, Salt Lake City, UT (March 2025)
• “Cornea A to Z” – ASCRS Annual Meeting, Boston, MA (April 2024)
• “Managing the Complex Cataract” – Continuing Specialized Education series for ophthalmology residents, Fort Worth, TX (February 2026, February 2025, December 2023, January 2023, April 2021, December 2021, February 2020, February 2019)
• “Should I Correct Presbyopia?” – ASCRS Summer Meeting, Nashville, TN (August 2023)
• “Best of ASCRS Refractive Papers” – ASCRS Summer Meeting, Nashville, TN (August 2023)
• “What do I do before Cataract Surgery…Managing Basement Membrane Dystrophy” – ASCRS Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA (May 2023)
• “Post-operative management pearls for cataract and refractive surgery” – Utah Optometric Association Continuing Education, Provo, UT (March 2023)
• “Review and Update of Implantable Collamer Lenses” – Utah Optometric Association Continuing Education, Salt Lake City, UT (February 2023)
• “Anterior Segment Reconstruction” – Utah Optometric Association Continuing Education, Salt Lake City, UT (February 2023)
• “How to Manage the Unhappy Patient” – ASCRS Summer Meeting, Nashville, TN (August 2022)
• “Presbyopia Case Studies” – ASCRS Summer Meeting, Nashville, TN (August 2022)
• “Is this Herpetic Eye Disease? Managing Herpes Eye Issues” – ASCRS Annual Meeting, Washington DC (April 2022)
• “Perforated Corneal Ulcer: How to Glue in the Office” – ASCRS Annual Meeting, Washington DC (April 2022)
• ASCRS Grand Rounds, Presented by NYU Langone (February 2022)
• “Exchange vs Enhance vs Observe; How to Manage the Unhappy Cataract Patient” – ASCRS Winter Meeting, Park City, UT (February 2022)
• “Flanged Haptic Sutureless Scleral Fixation Pearls” – ASCRS Winter Meeting, Park City, UT (February 2022)
• “Differentiating and Managing Herpes Eye Issues” – ASCRS Annual Meeting, Las Vegas (July 2021)
• “Traumatic Cataract with Anterior and Posterior Capsular Rupture” – ASCRS Annual Meeting, Las Vegas (July 2021)
• Zavodni ZJ, Brissette A. “Astigmatism Management Before, During, and After Cataract Surgery.” ASCRS Resident Roundtable (May 2021)
• Zavodni ZJ, Behshad S. “IOL Fixation Techniques.” ASCRS Resident Roundtable (January 2021)
• “How COVID-19 has Affected Finding the Job of Your Dreams” – ASCRS Annual Meeting, Virtual (May 2020)
• “How Do I Drop the Drops” – ASCRS Winter Break Meeting, Park City, UT (January 2020)
• “Managing a Dense Cataract Surgery Pearls” – ASCRS Winter Break Meeting, Park City, UT (January 2020)
• “Flanged Haptic Sutureless Scleral Fixation” – ASCRS Winter Break Meeting, Park City, UT (January 2020)
• “Sutureless Scleral Fixation of Intraocular Lenses” – Utah Optometric Association Continuing Education, Salt Lake City, UT (September 2019)
• “Review of Limbal Relaxing Incisions” – ASCRS Combined Ophthalmic Symposium, Austin, TX (August 2019)
• “Improving Surgery with ICLs” – Utah Optometric Association Continuing Education, Salt Lake City, UT (August 2019)
• “Capsular Tension Ring Pearls” – ASCRS Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA (May 2019)
• “Evaluating Practice Culture” – ASCRS Annual Meeting, Washington DC (April 2018)
• “Femtosecond Cataract Surgery Pearls” – ASCRS Annual Meeting, Washington DC (April 2018)
• “Current Landscape of Premium IOLs” – Utah Optometric Association Continuing Education, Salt Lake City, UT (May 2018)
• “Collagen Crosslinking for Corneal Ectasia” – Utah Optometric Association Continuing Education, Salt Lake City, UT (January 2018)
• “Distance, Intermediate, and Near…Our Aging Patients Want it All” – Utah Optometric Association Continuing Education, Salt Lake City, UT (January 2018)
• “IOL Exchange Fundamentals” – ASCRS YES New York Advanced Cataract Training course, New York, NY (September 2017)
• “Pharmaceuticals: Current Trends in Cataract Surgery” – ASCRS YES New York Advanced Cataract Training course, New York, NY (September 2017)
• “Overview of Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery” – ASCRS YES New York Advanced Cataract Training course, New York, NY (September 2017)
• “Intraoperative Techniques and Tools for Success in Refractive Cataract Surgery” – ASCRS YES webinar series (August 2017)
• “Corneal Edema from Retained Lens Fragments” – ASCRS Annual Meeting Cornea Day, Los Angeles, CA (May 2017)
• “Cataract Surgery in a Phacomorphic Eye” – ASCRS Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, CA (May 2017)
• “Toric IOLs from A to Z” – ASCRS YES New York Advanced Cataract Training course, Denver, CO (September 2016)
• “Overview of Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery” – ASCRS YES New York Advanced Cataract Training course, Denver, CO (September 2016)
• “Subincisional Cortex Removal Pearls” – ASCRS Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (May 2016)
• “An Update on Collagen Crosslinking” – Utah Optometric Association Continuing Education, Salt Lake City, UT (April 2016)
• “Refractive Surgery Pearls” – Utah Optometric Association Annual Meeting, Midway, UT (June 2015)

Dr. Zavodni serves as Principal Investigator or Sub-Investigator on numerous clinical trials evaluating advanced IOL technology, corneal disease treatments, glaucoma management, and ocular surface disease therapies. Current and recent trials include:

• Refractive outcomes utilizing two SS-OCT Biometers for IOL power calculations (1/2025–present)
• SGP-005: A Prospective, Multicenter, Randomized, Masked, Controlled Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of the Bimatoprost Implant System (78 mcg) used in combination with the SpyGlass IOL Compared to Timolol Maleate Ophthalmic Solution, USP, 0.5% (8/2025–present)
• ILQ137-RA2: 12-Month Follow-Up Observational Extension of ILQ137-C002 Study (Clareon PanOptix vs Clareon PanOptix Pro IOLs) (10/2025–present)
• ILQ137-P001: Post-Market Clinical Evaluation of Clareon PanOptix Pro and Clareon PanOptix Pro Toric IOLs (10/2025–present)
• BL-SU01-ASRWE-4401: Prospective, Multicenter, Open Label, Single Arm, Post-Marketing Clinical Study of enVista^® Aspire and Aspire Toric IOLs (10/2024–present)
• WR-2021-US-01: Clinical trial investigating safety and effectiveness of hydrophilic multifocal intraocular lens RayOne Galaxy (10/2024–present)
• CTT644-E002: Compass Next Generation Image Guidance Development Study with Toric Implantation (3/2024–present)
• ILE632-I001: Long-term evaluation of safety and performance of Clareon Presbyopia correcting IOLs (8/2023–present)
• GLI314-C003: The Hydrus Microstent new enrollment, post-approval study (8/2023–present)
• SGP-003: Prospective, Multicenter, Randomized, Masked, Controlled study of Bimatoprost Implant System (6/2023–present)
• CP22-01: Post-Market Evaluation of the EVO/EVO+ Visian^® Implantable Collamer^® Lens (10/2022–6/2023)
• CTK378-E005: Investigation of Zonular Insufficiency using a novel device (10/2022–6/2023)
• ILS241-P002: Clareon Toric vs Eyehance Toric Comparison of visual outcomes (9/2022–12/2023)
• PHY1903: Clinical Investigation of the Safety and Effectiveness of the FINEVISION HP Trifocal IOL (6/2022–8/2024)
• CTT644-E001 COMPASS: Refining Image Processing Algorithms for Next Generation Image Guidance (4/2022–10/2022)
• IIT 69465231: Clinical Outcomes of the Clareon PanOptix Toric Intraocular Lens (1/2022–present)
• C-100-001 Dry Eye Study: Multicenter, randomized, double-masked study of Surf-100 ophthalmic solution (3/2021–present)
• CP-19-01 EVO/EVO+ ICL: Multicenter Clinical Evaluation of the EVO/EVO+ Visian^® Implantable Collamer^® Lens (5/2020–present)
• GC-012: Phase 3 study comparing two models of a Travoprost Intraocular Implant to Timolol Maleate Ophthalmic Solution, USP, 0.5% (7/2019–10/2024)
• CTL682-E002: Surgeon Impact Vivior AG Visual Behavior Monitor Exploratory Study (11/2019–6/2020)
• CTO792-E003: Observational, non-interventional, non-significant risk study of Capella Topographer and Keratometer Investigational Study (7/2019–1/2020)
• Eyegate-034: Randomized, masked, prospective Pilot study of the Safety and Performance of the EyeGate Ocular Bandage Gel for Re-epithelialization of Corneal Epithelial Defects Resulting from Photorefractive Keratectomy (6/2019–10/2019)
• CTM843-E002 / CTM843-E001: MOVU ARGOS reference images vs. Version reference images (10/2018–5/2019)
• AVC-001: Influence of DisCoVisco OVD on intraoperative aberrometry reading for IOL calculations after cataract extractions (10/2018–2/2020)
• UILH297-C001: Clinical Investigation of AcrySof^® IOL Model TFNT00 (8/2017–4/2019)
• RxSight CSP-027: Safety and effectiveness of the RxSight Light Adjustable Lens in subjects with prior corneal refractive surgery (7/2017, closed)
• Eyegate-031: Randomized, masked, prospective Pilot study of the Safety and Performance of the EyeGate Ocular Bandage Gel (9/2016–11/2016)
• Raindrop: Safety and effectiveness of the Revision Optics, Inc. Raindrop near vision inlay for improvement of near and intermediate vision in pseudophakic subjects (6/2016–7/2017)
• SBL-INI-02-13: Superiority of the SBL-3 IOL to the Akreos AO in visual acuity outcomes (10/2015–4/2019)
• OCU-310-DED-2017: Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind, Multicenter, Proof-of-Concept Study of Brimonidine Eye Drops for the Treatment of Dry Eye Disease (10/2017–2/2019)
• OTX-16-002: Prospective, Multicenter, Randomized, Parallel-Arm, Double Masked, Vehicle Controlled Phase 3a Study Evaluating the Safety and Efficacy of OTX-TP in Subjects with Open-Angle Glaucoma or Ocular Hypertension (12/2016–7/2017)
• ACOS-KXL-001: Multi-Center, Randomized, Controlled Evaluation of the Safety and Efficacy of the KXL System with VibeX for Corneal Collagen Cross-Linking in Eyes with Keratoconus or Corneal Ectasia after Refractive Surgery (7/2012–1/2015)
• CLX USA: Collagen Crosslinking with Ultraviolet-A in Asymmetric Corneas (7/2012–1/2015)
• AN-001: Safety and Effectiveness of the CustomFlex™ Artificial Iris Prosthesis for the Treatment of Iris Defects (10/2013–7/2014)
• Outcomes of corneal ectasia treated with a combination of collagen crosslinking, conductive Keratoplasty, and Intrastromal corneal ring segments. Minnesota Eye Consultants (1/2014–1/2015)
• Clinical outcomes of combined trabecular micro-bypass stent and phacoemulsification in patients with glaucoma and cataract. Minnesota Eye Consultants (2/2011–6/2013)

Dr. Zavodni is board-certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology (certified 2016). He earned his MD from Duke University School of Medicine and completed his ophthalmology residency at Duke University Hospital. He completed subspecialty fellowship training in cornea and refractive surgery at Minnesota Eye Consultants P.A. He maintains active membership in the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, Utah Ophthalmology Society, and the Cornea Society. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Outpatient Ophthalmic Surgery Society and holds leadership positions within ASCRS and the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Dr. Zavodni has been in clinical practice and surgical leadership since 2014. He completed rigorous training at Duke University and Minnesota Eye Consultants, two of the nation's leading ophthalmology programs. His clinical experience encompasses all aspects of anterior segment and refractive surgery, with particular expertise in corneal disease, cataract surgery, and advanced vision correction procedures.

Dr. Zavodni specializes in all-laser LASIK, PRK, ICL surgery, cataract surgery with premium IOL options, corneal transplantation (PKP, DSEK, DMEK), corneal crosslinking for keratoconus, glaucoma management, and comprehensive treatment of corneal disease and ocular surface disease.

Dr. Zavodni believes in comprehensive, individualized care with a patient-centered philosophy. He takes time to understand each patient's unique needs and visual goals, provides transparent communication about treatment options, and develops personalized treatment plans that align with each patient's preferences and lifestyle.

Dr. Zavodni's primary practice location is The Eye Institute of Utah/SurgiCare Center of Utah in Salt Lake City. Surgical procedures are performed at affiliated surgical facilities including Intermountain Medical Center and other accredited surgical centers in the Salt Lake City area.