Dr. Zakov received his BA degree from Kenyon College and his MD degree from Columbia University. He completed his ophthalmology training at the Cleveland Clinic and did his retinal training at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute of the University of Miami School of Medicine. He completed a fellowship at the Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, Harvard University. 

Dr. Zakov is a Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. He is also the founding president of the American Society of Ocular Trauma and the past president of the American Society of Retinal Specialists, the largest vitreo-retinal organization in the world; the American Retina Foundation; and the Cleveland Ophthalmological Society.

His principal areas of interest are vitreous and retinal diseases, intraocular tumors, diabetic retinopathy, and macular degeneration.