Dr Elene Kruger is a lecturer in the Department of Optometry at the University of the Free State. She holds a BOptom, MPhil in Optometry, and PhD in Health Professions Education. Her academic and clinical background includes almost 20 years of experience in optometry and ophthalmic clinical support, with a particular interest in ocular pathology, clinical education, communication skills training, and undergraduate student development.

She is involved in undergraduate teaching, clinical training, postgraduate supervision, and service-learning initiatives. Her teaching focuses on linking foundational knowledge to clinical reasoning, patient-centred care, and professional practice readiness.

Research Focus / Research Interests

Her research focuses on health professions education, particularly undergraduate optometry education. Her PhD research centred on the development of a structured communication training framework for undergraduate optometry students, informed by literature, registered optometrists’ perspectives, and nominal group discussions with students and lecturers from South African optometry programmes.

Her research interests include communication skills training, Health professions education, Undergraduate optometry curriculum development, communication skills training in optometry, clinical competence and assessment, ocular pathology education, and patient-centred care.

 
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Carel is an academic optometrist and a public health advocate and the prestigious title holder of Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry. He completed his Bachelor's degree in Optometry from the University of Limpopo and an Ocular Diagnostic Certificate from the University of Johannesburg. He also holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Health and a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Psychology both from the University of South Africa. He is a Master of Public Health (Cum-laude) from the University of Pretoria and currently pursuing his PhD in Public Health with the University of KwaZulu-Natal. He is a lifetime member of the Golden Key International Honour Society, a recipient of the 2023 Mail & Guardian Top 200 Young South African Visionaries Award in the Health Category, an Africa Inside Education 100 South African Shining Star Health Category Finalist of 2023. His expertise is in the public and private sectors for over 14 years. Carel is registered by the Health Professional Council of South Africa (HPCSA) and a member of the Public Health Association of South Africa (PHASA) and the South African Optometric Association.  Currently, his practice focuses on lecturing undergraduate students and facilitating expertise in patient care/client interactions as part of clinical optometry and public health optometry. Furthermore, he has experience in tutoring postgraduate diploma and research supervision for master’s students in the field of public health and optometry.

Research interests

Health Promotion, Health Systems Strengthening, Mental health, Epidemiology of Visual Impairment and Eye Diseases, Climate Change and health.

List of publications 

Masemola HC, Moodley SV, Shirinde J. Perceptions and attitudes of black men in a rural district of South Africa towards depression and its treatment. S Afr Fam Pract (2004). 2022 Jul 28;64(1):e1-e9. doi: 10.4102/safp.v64i1.5557. PMID: 35924620; PMCID: PMC9350529.

Ekemiri, K.K.; Botchway, E.N.; Ezinne, N.E.; Sirju, N.; Persad, T.; Masemola, H.C.; Chidarikire, S.; Ekemiri, C.C.; Osuagwu, U.L. Comparative Analysis of Health- and Vision-Related Quality of Life Measures among Trinidadians with Low Vision and Normal Vision—A Cross-Sectional Matched Sample Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 6436. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20146436

Masemola HC, Nkambule SJ, Baloyi O, Xulu-Kasaba ZN. Exploring barriers and facilitators, and their effectiveness in eye health promotion interventions: Protocol of a systematic review. PloS one. 2024 Sep 26;19(9):e0305904.

Masemola HC, Baloyi O, Xulu-Kasaba ZN. Perceptions and experiences of key informants in eye health on the implementation of eye care health promotion interventions in South Africa. Healthcare (Basel). 2024; 12(22) doi:10.3390/healthcare12222289

Masemola HC, Baloyi O, Xulu-Kasaba ZN. Evaluating Eye Care Services in South Africa's Limpopo Province Using Donabedian`s Framework: Insights into Structures, Processes, and Outcomes. Clin Optom (Auckl). 2025 Mar 26;17:115-126. doi: 10.2147/OPTO.S509445. PMID: 40161271; PMCID: PMC11955184.

Masemola HC, Baloyi O, Xulu-Kasaba ZN. Exploring eye health professionals' knowledge, attitudes and practices towards eye health promotion interventions: A cross-sectional study. Frontiers in Public Health. 2025 Jul 24;13:1626792.

Masemola HC, Mulondo MA, Nkambule SJ, Madida B, Seretlo RJ. Digital pulse: Social media reaction to South Africa’s National Health Insurance implementation. Afr J Prm Health Care Fam Med. 2025;17(1), a4997. https://doi.org/10.4102/phcfm.v17i1.4997

Masemola HC, Nkambule SJ, Baloyi O and Xulu-Kasaba ZN. Eye health promotion in multi-sectoral settings: A systematic review of intervention types and effectiveness. F1000Research 2025, 14:934 (https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.168998.1)

Mophosho L, Masemola HC, Xulu-Kasaba ZN. Assessing accessibility of eye health through human resources in South Africa. Journal of Public Health in Africa. 2025 Nov 28;16(1):8.

Masemola, H.C., Bakker, L., Spies, C., Mmono, W., Christians, C., Meintjes, C. et al., 2026, ‘Climate change and eye health: Awareness of health sciences students at a South African University’, Health SA Gesondheid 31(0), a3115. https://doi.org/10.4102/hsag.v31i0.3115

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Minette Devenier completed her undergraduate studies at the University of the Free State and attained her Master's Degree at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, focusing on the impact of the accommodative and vergence systems on digital and print images. She is currently pursuing her doctoral studies.

She is involved in clinical supervision in the Binocular and Paediatric Teaching Optometry Clinic, and her teaching interests include clinical optometry, research, paediatric vision care, and binocular vision. Minette has served as an external examiner for exit-level optometry modules and has supervised master’s students to graduation.

Research Focus:

• Binocular Vision
• Paediatric Optometry
• Computer Vision Syndrome and the effect thereof on binocular vision
• Child development and vision screening
• Community Based Education training
• Health promotion and education of educators/prospective educators
• Interprofessional collaboration in paediatric patient care

Selected publications:

• Devenier, M., Hansraj, R., & Rasengane, T. (2021). The response of the accommodation system to digital and print images. African Vision and Eye Health, 80(1), a662.

• Okyere, B. V., Devenier, M., Rasengane, T., Kyei, S., & Ayobi, B. (2026). Prevalence and associated factors of visual impairment in two rural communities in Ghana. African Vision and Eye Health, 85(1), a1081.

• Smith, R., Jordaan, E. M., Russell, D. C., de Milander, M., van Rooyen, M., Jansen van Vuuren, X., & Devenier, M., et al. (2026). Transitioning to a flexible, tiered, developmentally informed same-day screening model for preschoolers in low-resource settings. Child: Care, Health and Development, 52(2), e70242

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Siddeeqa Jhetam is an optometrist and lecturer in the Department of Optometry at the University of the Free State (UFS). She is involved in undergraduate teaching, clinical training, and research within the Faculty of Health Sciences, integrating theoretical instruction with clinical supervision to support the development of students’ professional and clinical competencies.

She holds a Master’s degree in Optometry from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), where her research focused on visual function in individuals with oculocutaneous albinism and the role of optical devices in enhancing visual performance. In addition to her academic responsibilities, she contributes to clinical optometry services linked to training programmes, including the assessment and management of patients with a range of visual conditions, particularly low vision. Her work reflects a commitment to advancing optometric education and improving access to vision rehabilitation services.

Research Focus / Research Interests

Low vision rehabilitation; visual function (visual acuity and contrast sensitivity); oculocutaneous albinism; functional vision outcomes; optical and non-optical low vision devices; dispensing optics; clinical optometry and patient-centred care.

Selected Publications

Jhetam, S. and Mashige, K.P., 2019. Ocular findings and vision status of learners with oculocutaneous albinism. African Vision and Eye Health, 78(1).

Jhetam, S. and Mashige, K.P., 2020. Effects of spectacles and telescopes on visual function in students with oculocutaneous albinism. African Health Sciences, 20(2), pp.758–767.

Vermeulen, M., Alsemgeest, G.R., Oberholzer, J. and Jhetam, S., 2025. Ready-made readers vs CR-39: A study of refractive index, clarity, and scratch resistance. African Vision and Eye Health, October.

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