Dr Michelle Hennelly
Contact details
About
Overview
Dr Michelle Hennelly BSc (Hons) FCOptom PhD SFHEA
Associate Professor
Dr Hennelly is the Head of Department for Optometry and Visual Science. She is an Associate Professor responsible for the Independent Prescribing Programme and is involved in UG teaching in eye disease modules in years 2 and 3. Michelle was previously the MSc in Clinical Optometry and the MSc in Advanced Ophthalmic Nurse Practitioner (Health and Social Care) Programme Director. Educational and curriculum development skills have been honoured both nationally and internationally. She was awarded a Fellow of the College of Optometrists in 2019 recognising her influence and direction in training UG and PG optometrists for the last 25 years. In addition, she was awarded Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy in 2020. She was also appointed VISION 2020 - International Centre for Eye Health - London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine - Curriculum Director for Tanzania, Ghana and Botswana, responsible for mapping curriculums across countries, establishing common learning outcomes, teaching methods and methods of assessment in optometry/ophthalmic nursing. She is a member of the Editorial Board and Consultant Editor for the international journal Community Eye Health - International Centre for Eye Health - London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The journal is translated into five languages and reaches over 35,000 eye care workers globally. She is an Educational Visitor Panel member for the European Academy of Optometry and Optics and is a QAA subject benchmark reviewer. She is a member of the Human Resource for Eye Health Network and an Associate member of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists.
Following a degree in Ophthalmic Optics at Cardiff University, Dr Hennelly completed her pre-registration year at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London. She was awarded a PhD for her research into psychophysics/contact lenses at City, University of London. Upon completion of her Doctoral Thesis, entitled 'The light scattering characteristics of the normal and contact lens wearing eye'. Since this time, she has specialised in the development of innovative and professional accredited Masters Programmes in Clinical Optometry at the forefront of optometric education. In addition, she was the CET co-ordinator and editor for the City, University of London CET series run in conjunction with Optometry Today/Association of Optometrists. During her time at City, she has supervised 2nd and 3rd clinics, lectured in special clinical techniques, eye disease and ocular therapeutics, directed the Contact Lens Referral Clinic - a specialist clinic for medical contact lens fitting and supervised UG and MSc dissertations.
Qualifications
- PhD, City, University of London, United Kingdom, 1997 - January 2000
- MCOptom, College of Optometrists, United Kingdom, 1993 - January 1994
- BSc (Hons), Cardiff University, United Kingdom, 1990 - January 1993
- FCOptom, College of Optometrists, College of Optometrists, United Kingdom, July 2019
Postgraduate training
- Salus University Independent Prescribing training, Salus University, Philadelphia, United States, 2009
- Pre-registration Optometrist, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, United Kingdom, 1993 - January 1994
Employment
- Divisional Lead Optometry and Visual Sciences, City, University of London, United Kingdom, May 2021 - present
- Editorial Board Member, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom, January 2019 - present
- Consultant Editor, Community Eye Health international journal - International Centre for Eye Health - London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom, January 2019 - present
- Module Lead - Independent prescribing programme, City, University London, United Kingdom, 2005 - present
- CET co-ordinator and editor, Optometry Today - Association of Optometrists, United Kingdom, January 1999 - January 2010
- MSc Programme Director, City, University London, United Kingdom, January 1997 - May 2021
Administrative roles
- School of Health Science periodic review panel member
- Member of PG Staff Student Liaison Committee
- Member of PG Programme Committee
- Member of PG Forum
- Member of Board of Studies
Fellowships
- Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, February 2020 - present
- Fellow of the College of Optometrists (Contribution to Optometry Education) (FCOptom), College of Optometrists, July 2019 - present
Teaching
Modules taught on
- Module Lead
- Co-module leader - Principles of Therapeutics
- Co-module leader - Principles of Prescribing
- Primary eye care
- Diabetes
- Therapeutics.
Research
Research interests
- Optometry Prescribing
- Curriculum and capacity development in multidisciplinary eye care
- Reducing blindness in sub-Saharan Africa
Areas for supervision
MSc and UG dissertations
Optometry Prescribing
- Curriculum and capacity development in multidisciplinary eye care
- Reducing blindness in sub-Saharan Africa
Publications
Publications by category
Book
- Seal, D.V., Pleyer, U., Hennelly, M.L., Lawrenson, J.G. and Patel, B. (2026). Investigation & Management of Eye Disease in Primary Care. CRC Press.
Conference papers and proceedings (2)
- Edgar, D.F., Hennelly, M. and Barbur, J.L. Factors affecting the accuracy of light scatter measurements in human vision. .
- Hennelly, M.L., Barbur, J.L., Edgar, D.F. and Woodward, E.G. Factors affecting the integrated straylight parameter in the normal human eye. .
Journal articles (6)
- Hennelly, M., Ctori, I., Shah, P. and Lewis, D. (2024). How to assess refractive error in adults with additional or complex needs. Community Eye Health Journal, 37(122), pp. 16-17
- Hennelly, M.L. and Ctori, I. (2022). Technology in education. Community Eye Health Journal, 35(114), pp. 22-23
- Mabey, D., Antwi-Boasiako, S., Moloa, C., Mmuari, V., Hennelly, M. and Zondervan, M. (2019). Capacity building for ophthalmic nursing in Ghana, Botswana and Tanzania. Eye News, 26(4), pp. 2-5
- Hennelly, M. (2019). How to detect myopia in the eye clinic. Community Eye Health Journal, 32(105), pp. 15-18
- Hennelly, M.L., Barbur, J.L., Edgar, D.F. and Woodward, E.G. (1998). The effect of age on the light scattering characteristics of the eye. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics, 18(2), pp. 197-203. doi:10.1016/S0275-5408(97)00077-X
- Hennelly, M. (1998). The effect of age on the light scattering characteristics of the eye. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics, 18(2), pp. 197-203. doi:10.1016/s0275-5408(97)00077-x
Thesis/dissertation
- Hennelly, M.L. The Light Scattering Characteristics of the Normal and Contact Lens-Wearing Eye. (PhD)
Professional activities
Editorial activity (2)
- Community Eye Health international journal - International Centre for Eye Health - London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Editorial Board Member, July 2019 - present.
- Consultant Editor - Community Eye Health international journal - International Centre for Eye Health - London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Consultant Editor - Community Eye Health international journal, July 2019 - present.
Events/conferences (6)
- College of Optometrists Annual Conference. (1998).
- British Congress of Optometry. (1997).
- The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). (1997).
- Factors affecting the integrated straylight parameter in the normal human eye.
- The light scattering characteristics of the eye.
- The ageing eye - light scattering changes with age.