About Mr. Orlans

Mr. Harry Orlans is a Consultant Vitreoretinal Surgeon and Ophthalmologist with his NHS practice based at East & North Hertfordshire NHS Trust. He specialises in all aspects of vitreoretinal and cataract surgery. He also sees general ophthalmology and eye emergency patients.

Mr. Orlans has undertaken comprehensive and rigorous training at some of the world's most renowned institutions. He graduated from the University of Cambridge with a First Class degree in Physiology & Neuroscience, ranked top in the University, before completing his Clinical Medicine training with Distinction at the University of Oxford. He completed his Ophthalmic Specialist Training within the North London Deanery and undertook prestigious clinical fellowships in Vitreoretinal Surgery at St Thomas' Hospital, London and Moorfields Eye Hospital, London. Mr. Orlans also holds a PhD from the University of Oxford where his research focussed on pioneering treatments for inherited retinal diseases. He is an experienced vitreoretinal surgeon having performed over 1,000 such procedures.

Prizes & Awards

Mr. Orlans has been recognised for his clinical and academic work by the award of numerous prestigious prizes and grants, including the Crombie Medal and the AMO Prize from the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, the Ruskell Medal from the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers, the Founder's Cup from the Oxford Ophthalmological Congress, alongside research funding with a total value of over 1.5 million pounds from the Medical Research Council, UK.

Selected publications

Mr. Orlans is an active contributor to clinical research and training within the fields of Vitreoretinal Surgery, Ophthalmology and retinal science. He has authored over 50 publications, posters and presentations.

Orlans HO, Yazdouni S, Williamson TH, Wong RS, Laidlaw DAH. A novel post-operative drop regimen reduces risk of ocular hypertension following pars plana vitrectomy. Ophthalmologica. 2023; 246(1):32-38.

Azad A, Laidlaw DAH, Orlans HO. Using QR smartphone technology to improve patient communication and information distribution. Eye 2022;26(6):1321-1322.

Orlans HO, McClements ME, Barnard AR, et al. Mirtron-mediated RNA knockdown/replacement therapy for the treatment of dominant retinitis pigmentosa. Nature Communications 2021;12:4934.

Corazza P, D’Alterio FM, Kabbani J, Alum MMR, Mercuri S, Orlans HO, Younis S. Long-term outcomes of intravitreal anti-VEGF therapies in patients affected by neovascular age-related macular degeneration: a real-life study. BMC Ophthalmol 2021;21:300.

Orlans HO, Merrill J, Barnard AR, et al. Filtration of Short-Wavelength Light Provides Therapeutic Benefit in Retinitis Pigmentosa Caused by a Common Rhodopsin Mutation. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2019;60:2733–2742.

Xue K, Jolly JK…Orlans HO, et al. Beneficial effects on vision in patients undergoing retinal gene therapy for choroideremia. Nature Medicine 2018;24:1507–1512.

Surgical results

Recent vitreoretinal surgical outcomes (2022-present):

- Vitrectomy for retinal detachment primary success rate (209 cases):

87.6% (vs 87.0% in the UK-NOD national audit)

Scleral buckle for retinal detachment primary success rate (n=14):

92.9% (vs 87.7% in the UK-NOD national audit)

Macular hole closure rate (n=52):

98.1% (vs 95.7% in the BEAVRS database national audit)