Miss Zahra Ashena is an expert ophthalmologist, with subspeciality in complex cataracts, corneal conditions and refractive surgery. She treats patients with a wide range of conditions including complex cataracts, corneal diseases like keratoconus, blepharitis and dry eye, pterygium, allergic eye disease, corneal infections, and dystrophies. She is a qualified refractive surgeon, who undertakes lens-based surgeries with premium lenses, for glasses independence.
Miss Ashena earned her medical degree with honours in 2005. With a strong interest in integrated health, she pursued a BSc degree in Holistic Medicine at the University of Westminster, which she completed in 2009. Afterward, she began her training in ophthalmology, completing her residency in the Severn and KSS (Kent, Surrey, and Sussex) deaneries. She became a qualified ophthalmologist in 2018. Following this, she undertook a two-year fellowship focused on the anterior segment of the eye at Sussex Eye Hospital in Brighton. During this fellowship, she gained extensive experience in both the medical and surgical management of corneal diseases, complex cataract surgeries, and anterior segment reconstruction procedures.
Miss Ashena was appointed as a Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at Barking, Havering, and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust in 2021, where she leads the Cataract Service. She performs a high volume of complex cataract surgeries, as well as corneal procedures, including crosslinking and corneal transplants. She frequently treats patients with various corneal pathologies. Miss Ashena is a member of the British Society of Refractive Surgeons (BSRS), the United Kingdom and Ireland Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (UKISCRS), and the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS). She is passionate about her career and takes great pride in making a difference in her patients’ lives by restoring their vision.
Miss Ashena is dedicated to medical education and offers mentorship to medical students interested in pursuing a career in ophthalmology. Additionally, she teaches, trains, and supervises ophthalmic trainees from North East London in both the clinic and the operating theatre. As an educational supervisor for these trainees, she plays a significant role in enhancing their training and development pathways.
Miss Ashena is deeply passionate about clinical research. Her research focuses on several areas, including cataract surgery, the use of premium intraocular lenses for managing astigmatism and presbyopia, corneal transplants, corneal crosslinking, dry eye conditions, and refractive surgery. She has published over 35 papers in peer-reviewed journals on these topics, many of which she has presented at national and international conferences. Additionally, she serves as an invited reviewer for several ophthalmology journals and continues to undertake research projects within her practice. Additionally, she is an examiner for the Certificate of Laser and Refractive Surgery (CertLRS) examination at the Royal College of Ophthalmologists.
