X-twitter Facebook-square Youtube Instagram Rss

Vanessa Moodley

Prof.

Vanessa Moodley

Associate Professor

Telephone
031 260 7091

Email
moodleyvr@ukzn.ac.za

BIOSKETCH
Prof Moodley is an Associate Professor and has lectured in contact lenses, binocular vision, public health and ethics. She has served the university in numerous leadership roles over the years and been instrumental in numerous initiatives towards an expanded scope of practice and transformation in optometry education. Her professional leadership roles include serving 2 X 5-year terms on the regulatory body as Chairperson of the Professional Board for Optometry and Dispensing Opticians in South Africa, African Council for Optometry as secretary/treasurer and Education Committee chairperson. In her role as a Councillor on the Health Professions Council of South Africa, she chaired the Business Practices Committee and was a member of the Standards Generation Body, defining optometry competency standards.  She currently serves on the Education Committee of the World Council for Optometry and has also served on the World Council Legislation, Education and Standards Committee.  Her areas of research interest include cornea and contact lenses (keratoconus) as well as quality assurance and social accountability in optometry education and clinical practice. Prof Moodley was co-founder of the Keratoconus Foundation of South Africa and in partnership with the McCords Provincial Hospital facilitates corneal transplants and rigid contact lenses to indigent keratoconus patients in the province. She supervises many national and international post graduate students undertaking research in keratoconus/cornea and contact lenses and has disseminated the work at various national and international conferences and through scholarly publications. Her academic and professional contribution led to her being the recipient of the award for “Academic Excellence” by the South African Optometric Association in 2024.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
  • Keratoconus, Social accountability and quality in optometric education, Cornea and Contact Lenses, Public Health Optometry, Binocular Vision
LIST OF PUBLICATION
Google Scholar   
PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
  #YearAuthors, title, journal, volume, pages
1.2025Ezinne NE, Kwarteng MA, Mashige KP, Moodley VR. Factors Associated with Keratoconus Among the Adult Population of Trinidad and Tobago: A Cross-Sectional Study. Int Ophthalmol. 2025 Jan 29;45(1):44. doi: 10.1007/s10792-025-03414-8.
2.2025Rashid Z, Mashige K, Moodley VR. Prevalence and demographic profile of keratoconus among high school students in Kenya. 2025 Int Ophthalmol 45(21).  doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10792-024-03370-9
3. 2025Mdlalose P, Moodley VR. Dry eye: A hospital-based sociodemographic, risk and clinical classification profile Health SA Gesondheid 2025 29(0), a2793. https://doi.org/10.4102/ hsag.v29i0.2793
4. 2024Masiwa LE, Moodley V. Screening Preadolescents for Keratoconus Risk Factors in a Low-Resource Setting. Eye Contact Lens. 2024 Oct 1;50(10):419-425. doi: 10.1097/ICL.0000000000001121. Epub 2024 Aug 20. PMID: 39160701.
5. 2024Rashid ZR, Moodley VR, Mashige KP, Agho KE. Barriers to the diagnosis and management of Keratoconus among optometrists in Kenya. Clin Optom. 2024 23;16:71-79. doi: 10.2147/OPTO.S446599
  2024Segooa RF, Moodley VR. Optometry student clinical practice at public health facilities: A systematic review. Health SA Gesondheid 2024 29(0), a2441. https://doi.org/10.4102/ hsag.v29i0.2441
6. 2024Ayukotang EN, Moodley VR, Mashige KP. Keratoconus in the West Region of Cameroon: Stakeholder knowledge and management. Afr Vision Eye Health. 2024;83(1), a905. https://doi. org/10.4102/aveh.v83i1.905
7. 2024

Nkoana, PM., Mashige KP, Moodley VR. Strengthening keratoconus management systems in South African public sector facilities. African Vision Eye Health 2024 83(1) 1-11. https://doi. org/10.4102/aveh.v83i1.832

8.2024Nkoana PMW, Mashige PK, Moodley VR. Experiences of keratoconus patients attending public eye care facilities in South Africa. Afr J Prm Health Care Fam Med. 2024;16(1), a3974. https://doi.org/10.4102/phcfm.v16i1.3974
9.2024Essa Mohammed EH, Moodley VR. Visual functions and anterior ocular surface changes post trans-PRK. Afr Vision Eye Health. 2024;83(1), a904. https://doi.org/ 10.4102/aveh.v83i1.904
  10.  2023Gcabashe NM, Moodley VR, Hansraj R. Prevalence and clinical profile of keratoconus in patients presenting at a provincial hospital in KwaZulu, Natal, South Africa: A case study. J Public Health Afr. 2023 Oct 1;14(9):2356. doi: 10.4081/jphia.2023.2356. PMID: 37942062; PMCID: PMC10628798.
  11. 2023Nkoana, PM., Mashige KP, Moodley VR. Experiences of keratoconus patients attending public eye care facilities in South Africa. African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine 2023 15(1) DOI:10.4102/phcfm.v15i1.3974
 12. 2023Rashid Z, Moodley VR, Mashige KP. Diagnosis and management of keratoconus by eye care practitioners in Kenya. BMC Ophthalmology 2023 23 (37) 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-023-02792-w
  13. 2023Gammoh Y, Moodley VR. A situation analysis of optometry education in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal 2023, 29(3) 170-176.
  14. 2023Maluleke A, Moodley VR. Practitioner perceptions about networks and managed care organisations within the optometric sector. Afr Vision Eye Health 2023 82(1).
  15. 2023Nkoana PMW, Moodley VR, Mashige KP. Keratoconic patient profile and management at public sector facilities in South Africa. Afr Vision Eye Health 2023;82(1), a780. https://doi. org/10.4102/aveh.v82i1.780
  16. 2023Ayukotang E.N., Moodley V.R., Mashige K.P. Risk Profile of Keratoconus among Secondary School Students in the West Region of Cameroon. Vision 2023, 7(2) https:// doi.org/10.3390/vision7010002
 17. 2022Maluleke A, Moodley VR. Practitioner perception on the role and relevance of optometric professional and regulatory bodies in South Africa. Afr Vision Eye Health. 2022;81(1), a698. https://doi.org/10.4102/ aveh.v81i1.698 
 18. 2022Nkoana PMW, Moodley VR, Mashige KP. Self-reported knowledge and skills related to diagnosis and management of keratoconus among public sector optometrists in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Afr J Prm Health Care Fam Med. 2022;14(1), a3668. https:// doi.org/10.4102/
 19. 2022 Gcabashe N, Moodley VR, Hansraj R. Keratoconus management at public sector facilities  in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: Practitioner perspectives. Afr Vision Eye Health.2022;81(1), a698. https://doi.org/10.4102/ aveh.v81i1.698
 20. 2022
Darko-Takyi C; Moodley VR; Boadi-Kusi SB. Normative Data for Parameters of Accommodation in African Schoolchildren, Optometry and Vision Science 2022 99 (3) p259-266 doi: 10.1097/OPX.0000000000001844
 21. 2021VR Moodley, M Krupanandan, S Kunene, S Makhasi, N Mlambo, T Mthiyane, N Patel. The effects of laptop screen luminance level on blink rate and tear film stability. Occupational Health Southern Africa. 2021. 27(6)
 22. 2021Sukati V, Moodley VR, Mashige KP. Knowledge and practices of teachers child eye health care in the public sector in Swaziland. African Vision and Eye Health. 2021 80(1) 1-13.
 23. 2021Darko-Takyi C, Moodley VR, Boadi Kusi SB. Normative data for parameters of functional non-strabismic binocular vision for African Children. Optometry and Vision Science 2021 Jun 1;98(6):620-628. doi: 10.1097/OPX.0000000000001706.
 24.2020Yego WK, Moodley VR. Visual acuity and refractive error improvements in keratoconic patients: A low income context perspective. Clinical Optometry 2020 12: 113-122.
 25.2020Darko-Takyi C, Moodley VR, Boadi Kusi SB. A review of normative data for parameters of functional non-strabismic binocular vision. African Vision and Eye Health 2020;79(1), a507. https://doi.org/10.4102/aveh.v79i1.507
26. 2020Masiwa LE, Moodley VR. A review of corneal imaging methods for the early diagnosis of pre-clinical Keratoconus. J Optom. 2020 13:4. 269-275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optom.2019.11.001
27. 2019Moodley VR. Towards a culture of quality assurance in optometric education in sub Saharan Africa. African Vision and Eye Health 2019;78 (1), a462.https://doi.org/10.4102/aveh.v78i1.462
28. 2019

 Sukati V, Moodley VR, Mashige KP. Knowledge and practices of eye health

 professionals about the availability and accessibility of child eye care services in the public sector in Swaziland. African Vision and Eye Health | Vol 78, No 1 | a471 |

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/aveh.v78i1.471
29. 2018Sukati V, Moodley VR, Mashige KP. Knowledge and practices of parents about child eye health care in the public sector in Swaziland. African Journal of Primary HealthCare & Family Medicine 2018 10(1) https://doi.org/10.4102/phcfm.v10i1.1808.
30. 2018Maake ME, Moodley VR. An evaluation of the public sector optometric service provided within the health districts in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. African Vision andEye Health. 2018 77(1), a407. https://doi.org/10.4102/ aveh.v77i1.407
31. 2018Sukati, V., Moodley, V., & Mashige, K. (2018). A situational analysis of eye care services in Swaziland. Journal of Public Health in Africa, 2018 9(3).https://doi.org/10.4081/jphia.2018.892.
32. 2018Gyawali R, Moodley VR. Need for optical intervention in children attending a school for the blind in Eritrea. Clin Exp Optom. 2018 101(4) 565-570.
33. 2018Thompson S, Naidoo K, Bambamba J, Moodley V, van Staden D, Forde A, Shah K, Bilotto L, Loughman J. Addressing avoidable vision impairment in Mozambique and the Africa region. Development in Practice 2018 29(2) 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1080/09614524.2018.1521786
34. 2017Gyawali R, Moodley VR. Causes of Childhood Vision Impairment in the only school for the blind in Eritrea. Optom Vis Sci. 2017; 94(12).doi: 10.1097/ OPX.000000000 000 1142.
35.  2017Munsamy AJ, Moodley VR, Naidoo P, et al. A correlation analysis of cone characteristics and central keratometric readings for the different stages of Keratoconus in a clinic based population. Indian Journal of Ophthalmology. Indian Journal ofOphthalmology. 2017 Vol 65(1) 7-11.
36  2016Moodley VR, Loughman J, Naidoo KS. Social Accountability: Introducing a new dimension in optometric education. South African Journal of Higher EducationVolume 30(1) 2016 ISSN1011 2016.
37 2015Munsamy AJ, Moodley VR, Naidoo P, et al. A frequency analysis of cone characteristics for the different stages of keratoconus. Afr Vision Eye Health. 2015; 74 (1), Art. #302,  http://dx.doi. org/10.4102/aveh.v74i1.302
38 2015Moodley VR, Loughman J & Naidoo KS Recruitment and selection strategies in optometric education towards addressing human resource disparities in sub-Saharan Africa, Africa Education Review, (2015) 12:3, 429-446,DOI:10.1080/18146627.2015.1110908
39 2015Chan VF, Loughman J, Moodley VR, Naidoo K, Bilotto L. Student’s Pre-University Competencies, Perceptions and Expectations towards an emerging Eye Health Profession in Lusophone Africa. Optometric Education 2015 Volume 40 Number 2 WinterSpring2015 104-109.
40  2014Moodley VR, Loughman J, Naidoo K. Access to Optometric Education: Challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa. Literacy Information and Computer Education Journal(LICEJ), 2014 Volume 5, Issue 3, ISSN: 2040 2589. pp 1634-1640.
41 2013Moodley V.R. Barriers to Optometric Education in sub Saharan Africa. WorldCongress on Education Conference Proceedings 2013 ISBN: 978-1-908320-15- 5 pp183-188.
42 2011Moodley VR, Kadwa F, Nxumalo B, Penceliah S, Ramkalam B, Zama A. Inducedprismatic effects due to poorly fitting spectacle frames. S Afr Optom 2011 70(4) 168- 174.
43 2009Moodley V.R, A study of the suitability of disposable coloured contact lenses for a South African clinic-based population The South African Optometrist 2009 Vol: 68 No:4.
44 2008Moodley V.R, Amplitude, facility and lag of accommodation in a primary school population The South African Optometrist 2008 Vol 67 No 4.
45 2007Moodley V.R, Oduntan OA, Louw A, Richter M, von Poser P. Perceptions, Expectations, Apprehensions and Realities of South African Optometry Students. TheSouth African Optometrist Vol: 66 No:3 2007
46 2002Moodley V.R, Hansraj H. Towards a HIV/AIDS Strategy for S.A. Optometrists. TheSouth African Optometrist 2002 Vol: 64 No:4
47 1996SA Vitamin A Consultative Group (Moodley VR). Anthropometric, vitamin A, iron and immunisation coverage status in children aged 6-71 months. S Afr Med J. 199686(4):354-7.
48 1994Moodley V.R. The Integration of Optometry into the National Health Plan for S.Africa.The S. African Optometrist 1994 Vol. 54 No.1.