Shahina Pardhan OBE is the UK’s first female Professor of Optometry at Anglia Ruskin University and a researcher in NIHR ARC East of England’s Social Care, Dementia and Ageing theme. She is also the founding Director of Anglia Ruskin University’s Vision and Eye Research Institute.
Under her strategic leadership, the Institute was awarded World Class Status. She was named in the King’s New Year Honours list 2025 for Services to Optometry and Preventing Blindness.
Shahina is passionate about reducing health inequality and has worked with stakeholders including NHS and policy makers within communities in the UK and worldwide, reducing the risk of blindness in over 169,000 people to date. Her team have produced culturally appropriate awareness programs in 15 different languages available to communities and stakeholders. She has also brought care closer to home by developing community-based diagnostic hubs for eye diseases, reducing waiting lists of thousands of patients waiting for eye treatment in Cambridge and Mid and South Essex.
Shahina’s research interests include diabetic retinopathy, low vision, dual sensory loss, auditory cues in vision impairment, ageing and visual short-term memory, and diagnostic performance of artificial intelligence tools. She is a recipient of the Ibn Sinha Award for Excellence in Health; Life Fellowship of the College of Optometrists; silver medal from the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers; Asian Women of Achievement Award - Professions category; Asian Jewel Award - Health Care and Education category; Vice Chancellor’s awards for Outstanding Scholar and Outstanding Research Impact. She has received the award of Honorary Doctor of Health from her alma mater, the University of Bradford.