Dr Gaurav Bhardwaj

About Me

Dr Gaurav Bhardwaj is an experienced ophthalmic surgeon with particular expertise in vitreoretinal surgery, cataract surgery and medical management of retinal diseases. He is one of few retinal surgeons in Australia skilled in both adult and paediatric surgery. In 2019, he was a co-surgeon involved in performing Australia’s first ocular gene therapy on a child with retinitis pigmentosa associated with RPE65 retinal dystrophy at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead. 

He has a strong interest in research, having completed a PhD in the area of retinal haemorrhages in children and he was awarded a research grant from the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation. Dr Bhardwaj undertook specialist training in Ophthalmology in the Sydney Eye Hospital network for 4 years.

A further 2 years of fellowship training in Medical Retina, Uveitis and Vitreoretinal Surgery was then completed at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital (RVEEH) in Melbourne, which has the largest Retinal Unit in Australia. In 2018, he was a senior Vitreoretinal Fellow at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London UK, the largest eye hospital in Europe. At Moorfields, Dr Bhardwaj worked with world renowned experts and managed adult and paediatric patients from all over Europe with complex vitreoretinal disorders. He was also exposed to the latest research in the areas of retinal gene therapy, stem cell treatment and bionic eyes. 

Dr Bhardwaj has continued his research interest with ongoing publications into major scientific journals. He also maintains his knowledge of the latest research in his field by being a reviewer for major scientific journals. He is involved in supervising junior eye surgeons and retinal fellows from Australia and abroad in surgical training.

Dr Bhardwaj prides himself on providing the best possible care for his patients. His professionalism is reflected by the numerous written compliments he has received from extremely grateful patients he has helped along the way. 

Training

• Bachelor of Medicine (BMed), University of Newcastle 
• PhD, University of New South Wales
• Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (FRANZCO)

Academic positions

• Vitreoretinal surgeon
  • Westmead Hospital
  • Liverpool Hospital
  • Sydney Children’s Hospital Network
• Clinical Senior Lecturer, University of Sydney Faculty of Health and Medicine, Save Sight Institute

Areas of expertise

Cataract and eye lens surgery

Retinal detachment and retinal tears

Macular diseases

• Macular holes
• Epiretinal membranes 
• Age-related macular degeneration
• Macular oedema (swelling)

Vitreous and retinal bleeding 

Paediatric vitreoretinal surgery

Eye trauma repair and reconstruction 

Diabetic retinopathy

Retinal vascular disorders

Memberships

Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO)

Australian Medical Association (AMA)

Australian and New Zealand Society of Retinal Specialists (ANZSRS)