Ophthalmologist

He attended the Medical School of the University of Athens, after achieving excellent marks at the Panhellenic Entrance Exams. He graduated from the Medical School of the University of Athens with top marks, being among the top students. He specialized in Ophthalmology at the University Ophthalmology Clinic of the Athens General State Hospital. After achieving excellent marks in the USMLE exams, he gained surgical experience at well known ophthalmological University departments of America. He specialized in the field of Ocular Immunology and intra-ocular inflammation at Harvard University, where he did a fellowship with Prof. Stephen Foster.

Additionally he trained at the University of New Orleans For many years, next to the clinical researcher Gholam A. Payman, where he performed hundreds of complex surgical procedures of the retina. The results of his clinical and research work in Louisiana is his own patent for minimally invasive retinal detachment procedures. He was a pioneer in the treatment of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSR) with photodynamic treatment, publishing the first report (Patent Publication).

Coming back to Greece, he carried out thousands of procedures covering the whole range of retinal surgery. He has also applied unique surgical techniques (endoresection) in the treatment of selected cases of malignant melanoma of the choroid as well as in the treatment of age-related macular degeneration by means of macular translocation surgery and autologous RPE-choroid transplantation.

He is the author of many publications in well known international ophthalmological journals mentioned below.

He is the Director of the Vitreo– Retinal department at the Athens Eye Hospital.

  1. Tyagi S, Bhol K, Natarajan K, Livir-Rallatos C, Foster CS, Ahmed AR. Ocular cicatricial pemphigoid antigen: partial sequence and biochemical characterization. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1996; 93:14714-9.
  2. Merchant M, Sangwan V, Livir-Rallatos C, Zafirakis P, Rojas B, Foster CS. Conjunctival expression of leukocytes adhesion molecules in cicatrizing condition: Ocular cicatricial pemphigoid, Atopy and Stevens-Johnson syndrome. Invest Ophtalmol Vis Sci 1997;38:S
  3. Sangwan V, Livir-Rallatos C, Zafirakis P, Rojas B, Foster CS. Deposition of eosinophil granule proteins in conjunctiva and sclera in Wegener's granulomatosis. A harbinger of disease progression? Invest Ophtalmol Vis Sci 1997;38:S
  4. El-Shabrawi Y, Livir-Rallatos C, Christen W, Baltatzis S, Foster CS. High levels of interleukin-12 in the aqueous humor and vitreous of patients with uveitis. Ophthalmology 1998;105:1659-63.
  5. Livir-Rallatos C, El-Shabrawi Y, Zafirakis P, Pellett PE, Stamey FR, Foster CS. Recurrent nodular scleritis associated with varicella zoster virus. Am J Ophthalmol 1998;126:594-7.
  6. Zafirakis P, Rojas B, Baltatzis S, Sangwan VS, Livir-Rallatos C, Foster CS. Conjunctival expression of adhesion molecules in Mooren's ulcer. Invest Ophtalmol Vis Sci 1998;39:S92.
  7. Zafirakis P, Baltatzis S, Sangwan SV, Dorfman DM, Rojas B, Livir-Rallatos C, Foster CS. Conjunctival expression of costimulatory molecules in Mooren's ulcer. Invest Ophtalmol Vis Sci 1998;39:S91.
  8. Zafirakis P, Sangwan VS, Dorfman DM, Baltatzis S, Rojas B, Livir-Rallatos C, Foster CS. Costimulatory molecules in conjunctiva from patients with atopic keratoconjunctivitis. Invest Ophtalmol Vis Sci 1998;39:S550.
  9. Markomichelakis N, Zafirakis P, Karambogia-Karefillidi P, Livir-Rallatos C, Koutsandrea Ch, Apostolopoulos M: Herpes simplex virus type 2 as a cause of acute retinal necrosis syndrome. Hellenic Ann Ophthalmol, 1998;8:299-303.
  10. Zafirakis P, Baltatzis S, Livir-Rallatos C, Markomichelakis N, Foster CS. Human mast cell subsets in conjunctiva from patients with atopy and ocular cicatricial pemphigoid. Invest Ophtalmol Vis Sci 1999;40:S558.
  11. Zafirakis P, Baltatzis S, Livir-Rallatos C, Markomichelakis N, Foster CS. Immunopathology of Mooren's ulcer. Invest Ophtalmol Vis Sci 1999;40:S559.
  12. Zafirakis P, Rowe S, Kokolakis S, Livir-Rallatos G, Livir-Rallatos C. Which is better anaesthesia for clear corneal phacoemulsification cataract surgery, without sedation? Topical or sub-tenon's? Invest Ophtalmol Vis Sci 1999;40:S287.
  13. Zafirakis P, Livir-Rallatos G, Canakis C, Livir-Rallatos C. The role of cycloplegia in cataract surgery with topical aneshtesia. American Academy of Ophthalmology, 1999.
  14. Ladas ID, Livir-Rallatos C, Canakis C, Damanakis A, Zafirakis P, Livir-Rallatos G: Presumed congenital ocular toxoplasmosis in two successive siblings. Acta Ophthalmologica, 1999;213:320-322.
  15. Zafirakis P, Livir-Rallatos G, Canakis C, Livir-Rallatos C, Datseris J, Kokolakis S. Sodium hyaluronate aids corneal wound healing during cataract and/or glaucoma surgery. EuroTimes 1999;4:8.
  16. Zafirakis P, Dorfman DM, Baltatzis S, Livir-Rallatos C, Markomichelakis N, Foster CS. Costimulatory molecules in conjunctiva from patients with Stevens Johnson syndrome. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2000;41:S673.
  17. Zafirakis P, Baltatzis S, Livir-Rallatos G, Livir-Rallatos C, Canakis C, Vergados I, Theodossiadis GP: Does sodium hyaluronate accelerate corneal healing? Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2000;41:S912.
  18. Zafirakis P, Livir-Rallatos G, Livir-Rallatos C, Canakis C, Stathoulopoulos S, Graikiotis D, Theodossiadis GP: Retrospective study of the hydrogel (Bausch & Lomb, H 60 M, Hydroview) foldable intraocular lens. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2000;41:S486.
  19. Zafirakis P, Rowe S, Kokolakis S, Livir-Rallatos G, Livir-Rallatos C, Baltatzis S, Theodossiadis G. A comparison between topical anaesthesia and sub-tenon's anesthesia without sedation in cataract surgery. J Cataract Refract Surg 2001;27:873-9.
  20. Charalampos Livir-Rallatos. Fuchs’ heterochromic uveitis. Ιn: Ocular Inflammatory diseases, edited by C. S. Foster and A. Vitale. W.B Saunders. (2001). ISBN: 0721663389
  21. Zafirakis P, Livir-Rallatos G, Livir-Rallatos C, Canakis C, Markomichelakis N. Diclofenac versus prednisolone postphacoemulsification treatment: a randomized clinical trial. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2002.
  22. Zafirakis P, Livir-Rallatos G, Livir-Rallatos C, Canakis C, Markomichelakis N, Baltatzis S. Leukocyte adhesion molecules in ocular rosacea. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2002.
  23. Peyman GA, Livir-Rallatos C, Canakis C, Conway MD. An adjustable-tip brush for the induction of posterior hyaloid separation and epiretinal membrane peeling. Am J Ophthalmol 2002;133:705-7.
  24. Peyman GA, Canakis C, Livir-Rallatos C, Conway, MD. The effect of internal limiting membrane peeling on chronic recalcitrant pseudophakic cystoid macular edema: a report of two cases. Am J Ophthalmol 2002;133:571-2.
  25. Peyman GA, Livir-Rallatos C, Canakis C, Conway, MD. A new high-speed pneumatic vitrectomy cutter. Am J Ophthalmol 2002;133:568-9.
  26. Peyman GA, Canakis C, Livir-Rallatos C, Conway, MD. A new wide-angle endoillumination probe for use during vitrectomy. Retina 2002;22:242.
  27. Zafirakis P, Letko E, Baltatzis S, Voudouri A, Livir-Rallatos C, Foster CS. Relapsing polychondritis: A clinical review. Semin Arthritis and Rheum 2002;31:384-395.
  28. Canakis C , Livir-Rallatos C, Zafirakis P , Livir-Rallatos G , Persidis E, Conway MD, Peyman GA. Ocular photodynamic therapy for serous macular detachment in the diffuse retinal pigment epitheliopathy variant of idiopathic central serous chorioretinopathy. Am J Ophthalmol 2003;136(4):750-2.
  29. Yao L, Baltatzis S, Zafirakis P , Livir-Rallatos C, Markomichelakis N, Zhao T, Foster CS. Human mast cell subtypes in conjunctiva of patients with atopic keratoconjunctivitis, ocular cicatricial pemphigoid and Stevens-Johnson syndrome. Ocul Immunol Inflamm 2003;11(3):211-22.
  30. Men G, Peyman GA, Kuo PC, Bezerra Y, Ghahramani F, Naaman G, Livir-Rallatos C, Lee PJ. The role of scleral buckle in experimental posterior penetrating eye injury . Retina 2003;23(2):202-8.
  31. Peyman GA, Canakis C , Livir-Rallatos C, Whalen P. Small-size pediatric vitrectomy wide-angle contact lens. Am J Ophthalmol 2003;135(2):236-7.
  32. Conway MD, Canakis C , Livir-Rallatos C, Peyman GA. Intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide for refractory chronic pseudophakic cystoid macular edema. J Cataract Refract Surg 2003;29(1):27-33.
  33. Canakis C , Livir-Rallatos C, Zafirakis P , Livir-Rallatos G . Acute endophthalmitis following intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide injection. Am J Ophthalmol 2004;137(6):1158-1159.
  34. Canakis C , Conway MD, Livir-Rallatos C, Naaman GJ, Peyman GA. Ocular photodynamic therapy in choroidal neovascularization complicating idiopathic central serous chorioretinopathy. Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging 2004;35(2):168-71.
  35. Choopong P, Khan N, Sangwan VS, Zafirakis P, Rallatos CL, Rojas B, Baltatzis S, Foster CS: Eosinophil activation in Wegener's granulomatosis: a harbinger of disease progression? Ocul Immunol Inflamm 2005;13(6):439-45.
  36. Kafkala C, Choi J, Zafirakis P, Baltatzis S, Livir-Rallatos C, Rojas B, Foster CS: Mooren’s ulcer: An immunopathologic study. Cornea 2006;25(6):667-73.
  37. Aessopos A, Floudas CS, Kati M, Tsironi M, Giakoumi X, Livir-Rallatos C, Farmakis D: Loss of vision associated with angioid streaks in beta-thalassemia intermedia. Int J Hematol. 2008;87(1):35-8.