Prof. Nikica Gabric, MD PhD, was born in Metkovic in 1961. In 1984 he graduated from the School of Medicine of University of Zagreb, in 1988 he acquired a scientific degree of Master of Science, and two years later he became a specialist in ophthalmology. In 1997 he obtained the scientific degree of Doctor of Science, in the same year he founded with his mentor, the late prof. Kresimir Cupak, Svjetlost Eye Clinic. In 2010 Svjetlost Eye Clinic became first Croatian University Eye Hospital by the School of Medicine of University of Rijeka. In 2011 prof. Gabric founded Svjetlost Eye Clinic in Split (Croatia), Sarajevo and Banja Luka (Bosnia and Herzegovina).

Prof. Gabric has published over 400 scientific papers and articles in national and international journals, as well as 5 books. Today he works as an ophthalmologist at Svjetlost Eye Clinic, where he is also Head of the Clinic. His specialty is anterior eye segment surgery, he has performed more than 30.000 surgical procedures, mainly cataracts, glaucoma, strabismus, corneal transplantations and excimer laser surgery. He operated in 16 countries worldwide, in over 50 operating rooms. He is Professor at the School of Medicine of University of Rijeka, and full member of Croatian Academy of Medical Sciences.

Throughout his professional career he worked as an innovator following international trends and bringing new technologies and methodologies in our country. Thus, in 1995 he founded the first Croatian Eye bank LHOB, and with his personal commitment he introduced a wide range of new surgical procedures in Croatian medicine: ultrasonic cataract surgery, amniotic membrane transplantation, sulcus fixation of intraocular lens, cataract surgery with intraocular lens implantation in children, introduction of excimer laser refractive surgery, improvement of transplantation medicine.

His dedication to profession and science has been recognized repeatedly by the responsible institutions so he received numerous awards, including the Ministry of Health award for outstanding contribution and achievements in the entire work, the recognition of Southeast European Ophthalmological Society (SEEOS) for extensive service in the field of ophthalmology and the prevention of blindness, Cicero prize for best speaker among Croatian entrepreneurs, the award for the Best Manager in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which he received in 2011 for scientific and business development, world-wide reputation, technological and professional development, as well as the superior ophthalmic practice expanding in Southeast Europe. One of the last recognitions is the Oscar prof Gabric and his team of specialists received as the “Best Live Surgery Award 2015” at the International Ophtalmology Congress Videocatarattarefrattiva in Milan, Italy.