Shehzad graduated from Aston University in 1992 with a degree in Ophthalmic Optics (BSc Hons). Subsequently he successfully completed the pre-registration year of the British College of Optometrists (MBCO) and registered as an Optometrist in the UK with the General Optical Council. The following year he also successfully passed the registration examinations of the Newfoundland Optometric Board (Canada). Shehzad undertook the taught MSc course at UMIST (now University of Manchester), his research dissertation was conducted under the supervision of Dr Philip Morgan entitled ‘Corneal Topography in a Family with Known Keratoconic Patients’. Concurrently he was also involved on a part time basis in routine Optometric practice working for numerous independent practices, group practices, hospital clinics and private laser clinics. Upon completion of the MSc, Shehzad worked in routine practice in South Australia for a few months and is still registered in Queensland, Australia. He then returned to UMIST to study for a PhD under the supervision of Professor Neil Charman. His PhD thesis was entitled ‘Optical and Physiological Problems Associated with Excimer Laser Refractive Surgery’. Whilst at UMIST Shehzad worked as an Occasional Lecturer supervising clinics in routine refraction, further investigative techniques and low vision.

In August 2001, Shehzad returned to Aston University to take up a lectureship post at the College of Health and Life Sciences, where he is now a Reader. He is Editor-in-Chief of the British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) journal ‘Contact Lens and Anterior Eye’ and was Global President of the International Association of Contact Lens Educators (IACLE) between 2011-2021. He is a Fellow of the BCLA (FBCLA), IACLE (FIACLE), American Academy of Optometry (FAAO), European Academy of Optometry and Optics (FEAOO), College of Optometrists (FCOptom) and Senior Fellow of Advane HE (SFHEA).

In 2014 he was awarded honorary lifetime membership of the BCLA and in 2017 was awarded lifetime fellowship of IACLE. In 2015 he was awarded the World Council of Optometry (WCO) International Optometrist Award due to various projects helping not-for-profit hospitals and universities in countries, with less developed health care systems, working towards improving their education and patient care. He is the West Midlands Regional Lead Hospitaller (Birmingham, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Wolverhampton , Warwickshire and Worcestershire) for the St John Eye Hospital Group in Jerusalem (a non-profit organisation, part of the Order of St John, which includes St John Ambulance).

He is a member of the International Society for Contact Lens Research, whose membership restricted to around 100 people from around the world who are deemed to be the top researchers in the field of contact lenses.  He is listed as the 6th global expert in the field of presbyopia research, top 50 for contact lenses and in the top 200 research optometrists in the world.

His teaching areas are Second Year Contact Lenses, Third Year Anterior Eye, Post-graduate Refractive Surgery. He is theme lead for Anterior Eye and Senior Tutor for Optometry.

His research interests include contact lenses, dry eye, corneal biomechanics, laser refractive surgery, cataract and lens surgery, intraocular lenses, sports vision and business aspects of UK eye health care. He has authored and co-authored nearly 200 publications (including peer-reviewed, editorials, textbook chapters, non-peer-reviewed etc.). 

Shehzad’s publications show a wide range of national and international collaborations, with co-authors from the UK, Italy, India, Pakistan, Iran, Spain, Malaysia, USA, Netherlands, France, China, Korea, Hong Kong, Canada, Indonesia, Ireland, Australia, Brazil, Sweden and New Zealand. His papers also show cross-disciplinary expertise with optometrists, ophthalmologists, vision scientists, biologists, neuroscientists, psychologists, engineers, business experts and industry partners.

Total research income around £3m (around £2m as principal) showing a variety of funding sources, including an EU Marie Curie Horizon 2020 Fellowship and 5 Knowledge Transfer Partnerships

Shehzad has successfully graduated 22 higher degrees (14 PhDs, 5 Professional Doctorates, and 3 MScs). He has previously had 5 post-doctoral researchers in his team. He is currently supervising a further 10 higher degrees. His research team has included people from UK, Italy, Canada, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Trinidad, Australia, Spain, Ireland and Hong Kong

2022 - SFHEA (Senior Fellowship through Research Inspired Teaching Excellence (RITE) programme of Advance Higher Education)

2012 - FCOptom (Fellowship by portfolio and esteem of The College of Optometrists)

2012 - FEAOO (Fellowship by portfolio, viva-voce examination and esteem of European Academy of Optometry and Optics)

2006 - FBCLA (Fellowship by research portfolio, viva-voce examination and esteem of British Contact Lens Association)

2004 - FAAO (Fellowship by research portfolio, viva-voce examination and esteem of American Academy of Optometry)

2002 - FIACLE (Fellowship by written examination and esteem of International Association of Contact Lens Educators)

2003 - PhD (Title: Optical and Physiological Problems Associated with Excimer Laser Refractive

1996 - MSc (Title - Corneal Topography of a Family with Known Keratoconic Patients (University of Manchester)

1994 - Newfoundland State Board Registration Examinations (Canada)

1993 - MBCO Passed Professional Qualifying Exams of British College of Optometrists (enabling registration with General Optical Council)

1992 - BSc (Hons) in Ophthalmic Optics (Aston University)

Editor-in-Chief, Contact Lens and Anterior Eye (CLAE) Journal (peer-reviewed journal of the British Contact Lens Association). Under his leadership CLAE has become one of the most important journals in its field. It is currently ranked 25 out of 62 ophthalmic journals with an impact factor. Prior to him taking the reins the journal was not even indexed on PubMed and it did not have an impact factor. It now has an impressive impact factor of 3.077

• Member of International Society for Contact Lens Research
• Fellow of European Academy of Optometry and Optics
• Fellow of American Academy of Optometry
• Fellow of International Association of Contact Lens Educators
• Member of Association of Optometrists (UK)
• Member of the British and Irish Universities Council for Contact Lens Education
• Fellow of British Contact Lens Association
• Fellow of College of Optometrists (UK)
• Registered with General Optical Council (UK)

Email:[email protected]
Phone: 0121 2044132
Room: VS127