Dr. Hadas Ben-Eli (Ph.D)
Chair, Dept. of Optometry and Vision Science
Chair of the Department of Optometry at the Jerusalem Multidisciplinary College
Dr. Hadas Ben-Eli is Chair of the Department of Optometry at the Jerusalem Multidisciplinary College (JMC), Director of the Optometry and Biometry Service at Hadassah–Hebrew University Medical Center, and a vision scientist specializing in ocular diseases and public health. She received her B.Optom (with Honors) from Hadassah Academic College (now the Jerusalem Multidisciplinary College), an M.Sc. in Brain and Behavioral Sciences, and a Ph.D. in Public Health from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Dr. Ben-Eli's research focuses on two major areas: anterior segment and ocular surface diseases, including dry eye disease, Sjögren’s disease, cataract, and ocular surface disorders; and pediatric vision health, including vision screening, amblyopia risk detection, refractive errors, health literacy, and access to eye care. Her research integrates optometry, ophthalmology, epidemiology, public health, and artificial intelligence to improve diagnosis, clinical decision-making, and patient outcomes.
During her master's studies, Dr. Ben-Eli developed a psychophysical color vision test for the early detection of age-related macular degeneration, for which she received the Israeli Society for Vision and Eye Research (ISVER) Research Award. Her doctoral research investigated shared immunological, genetic, infectious, and environmental pathways linking dry eye disease, Sjögren’s disease, and B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. This work was conducted in collaboration with the Departments of Ophthalmology, Rheumatology, Hematology, and Oral Medicine at Hadassah Medical Center and resulted in numerous publications in leading international peer-reviewed journals and presentations at international scientific conferences.
Dr. Ben-Eli leads an active translational research program in collaboration with ophthalmologists and researchers from Hadassah–Hebrew University Medical Center, leading academic institutions across North America and Europe, the Israeli Ministry of Health, and partners from the ophthalmic and optical industries. Her current research addresses cataract surgery optimization, ocular biometry and intraocular lens calculations, patient-reported outcome measures, pediatric vision screening, novel diagnostic technologies, artificial intelligence applications in ophthalmology, and health policy related to vision care.
Beyond her research activities, Dr. Ben-Eli is actively involved in developing innovative educational programs for optometrists, ophthalmologists, and vision scientists. She teaches ocular pathology, biostatistics, research methodology, and advanced clinical courses, supervises graduate students, and promotes interdisciplinary collaborations between optometry and ophthalmology. Through her academic, clinical, and research activities, she is committed to advancing evidence-based eye care, strengthening international collaborations, and promoting the role of optometry as an integral component of modern ophthalmic healthcare.
Contact:
hadasben@jmc.ac.il
Anterior Segment Diseases: Dry Eye Disease, Sjögren’s Disease, Cataract, and Ocular Surface Disorders
Pediatric Vision Health: Vision Screening, Amblyopia, and Refractive Errors
Ocular Biometry and Intraocular Lens (IOL) Calculations for Cataract Surgery
Artificial Intelligence, Epidemiology, and Public Health in Ophthalmology
Development and Validation of Diagnostic Tools and Patient-Reported Outcome Measures
Translational Research Bridging Optometry and Ophthalmology
1. Ben Eli, H.S; Hochstein, S.C; Chowers, IPI. Early Diagnosis of Age-Related Macular Degeneration by Identification of Tritanopia. Reviews in the Neurosciences. 2005;16(Suppl):S9–S9.
2. Hadas Ben-EliPI, Nir GomelC, Doron Jacob AframianC, Rania Abu SeirC, Riki PerlmanC, Eldad Ben-ChetritC, Dror MevorachC, Gefen KleinsternC, Ora PaltielC, Abraham SolomonC. SNP Variations in IL10, TNFα and TNFAIP3 Genes in Patients with Dry Eye Syndrome and Sjogren’s Syndrome. Journal of Inflammation. 18;16:6. 2019. (IF 2.610; Q2 Biochemistry. citations 14)
3. Hadas Ben-EliPI, Doron Jaacob AframianC, Eldad Ben-ChetritC, Dror MevorachC, Geffen KleinsternC, Ora PaltielC, Abraham SolomonC. Shared Medical and Environmental Risk Factors in Dry Eye Syndrome, Sjogren’s Syndrome and B-Cell non-Hodgkin Lymphoma; a case-control study. Journal of Immunology Research. 2019. (IF 3.298; Q1 Medicine. citations 29).
4. Deena Rachel ZimmermanPI, Hadas Ben-EliC, Bruce MooreC, Monique ToledanoT, Chen Stein-ZamirC and Ariela Gordon-ShaagC. Evidence-based preschool-age vision screening: health policy considerations. Isr Health Policy Res. 12;8(1):70. 2019. (IF 1.66. Q3 health policy. citations 19)
5. Khaled SafadiC, Joshua M. KrugerC, Itay ChowersC, Abraham SolomonC, Radgonde AmerC, Hamzah AweidahC, Shahar FrenkelC, Hadas MechoulamC, Irene AntebyC, Hadas Ben EliC, Itay LavyC, Tarek JaouniC, David LandauC, Liran TiosanoC, Gabriel GreifnerC, Shay OfirC, Tamar Levi-VinebergC, Jaime LevyPI. Ophthalmology practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. BMJ Open Ophthalmology. 2020;5. (IF 2.14. Q1 Ophthalmology; citations 111)
6. Hadas Ben-EliPI, Abraham SolomonC, Doron J. AframianC, Eldad Ben-ChetritC, Dror MevorachC, Geffen KleinsternC , Tim WaterboerC, Martina Willhauck-FleckensteinC, Michael PawlitaC and Ora PaltielC. Serological and Hematological Characteristics of Sjogren’s Syndrome and Dry Eye Syndrome Patients using a Novel Immune Serology Technique. PLoS One. 2020 Dec 31;15(12). (IF 2.74; Q1 Medicine; citations 13)
7. Yuval CohenPI, Rafael IribarrenC, Hadas Ben-EliC, Arwa MassarwaS, Nagham Shama-BakriS, Otzem ChassidC. Ambient Illumination in Nursery Schools: a Key Factor for Myopia. Asia-Pacific Journal of Ophthalmology. 2021. (IF 3.71. Q1 Ophthalmology /Medicine; citation 38)
8. Rachel EichlerC, Gila MivtachiS, Dina Hershkovitz-AzulaiS, Mitchell ScheimanC, Hadas Ben-EliPI. OculoMotor Assessment Tool: Children Compared with Adults. Clinical Optometry. 2022:14 1–7. (IF 1.38. Q2 ophthalmology; citations 2)
9. Ariela Gordon-ShaagPI, Hadas Ben-EliC, Orit Sztrigler CohenT, Monique ToledanoT, Aviya BenyaminT, Chen Stein-ZamirC. Adherence to referrals from preschool vision screening and identification of barriers for non-adherence in Israel. Clinical and Experimental Optometry. July 2022. (IF 2.74. Q1 Optometry; citations 12)
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10. Rivkah LenderC, Devora MirskyT, Riki GreenbergerT, Zipora BoimT, Lee Ben-YaakovT, Chaya KashtanT, Ibrahim NaffarT, Shira ShineT, Itay ChowersC, Hadas Ben-EliPI. Evaluation of Three Biometric Devices: Ocular Parameters and Calculated Intraocular Lens Power. Scientific Reports. Nov 2022. (IF 4.99. Q1 Multidisciplinary; citations 24)
11. Rachel EichlerC, Mitchell ScheimanC, Hadas Ben-EliPI. Comparing the Directional Effect of Number Calling on the Developmental Eye Movement Test Results in Hebrew-Speaking Children. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics. April 2023. (IF 3.99. Q1 in Ophthalmology / Optometry. citations 3)
12. Orit Sztrigler-CohenS, Noga BrombergerS, Yonina TheeS, Rivkah LenderC and Hadas Ben-EliPI. Effect of Contact Lens Design on Objective Visual Acuity-Based Parameters in Pre-Presbyopic Patients in Photopic and Mesopic Lighting Conditions. VISION. June 2023. (IF 2.00. Q2 in Ophthalmology / Optometry; citations 2)
13. Ahuva Ravid-SaffirS, Shulamit SellaS and Hadas Ben-EliPI. Development and Validation of a Questionnaire for Assessing Parents’ Health Literacy Regarding Vision Screening for Children: a Delphi Study. Scientific Reports. August 2023. (IF 4.99. Q1 Multidisciplinary; citations 12)
14. Benjamin SternPI, Itay ChowersC, Hadas Ben-EliC-PI. Effect of Mydriasis on Chord Mu Value in Cataract Surgery Candidates. European Journal of Ophthalmology. Oct. 2023. (IF 1.92. Q2 Medicine / Ophthalmology; citations 4)
15. Hadas Ben-EliPI, Eyal BaninC, Jaime LevyC, Miryam GlikS, Sarah AfriatS, Yasmin MagalT, Rivka HarariT, Aviya BenyaminT, Shira SheinT and Itay ChowersC. Development and Evaluation of a New Self-Administered Near Visual Acuity Chart: Accuracy and Feasibility of Usage. Journal of Clinical Medicine. April 2024. (IF 3.90. Q1 Medicine)
16. Yaacov CnaanyC, Ayelet GoldsteinC, Itay LavyC, Michael HalpertC, Itay ChowersC, Hadas Ben-EliPI. Ophthalmology Residents Experience in Cataract Surgery: Pre-Operative Risk Factors, Intraoperative Complications and Surgery Outcomes. Ophthalmology and Therapy. May 2024. (IF 3.30. Q1 Ophthalmology; citations 6)
17. Hadas Ben-EliPI, Itay ChowersC, Ariela Gordon-ShaagC. The Importance of Vision Care for Displaced Populations: Lessons from Israeli Evacuees. Israel Journal of Health Policy Research. May 2024. (IF 3.50. Q1 Health Policy & Services / in Public, Environmental and Occupational Health; citations 1)
18. Benjamin SternPI, Hadas Ben-EliC, Ilana KarshaiC, Hadas MechoulamC, Ori SabanC, Yaacov CnaanyC, Gabriel GreifnerC, Evelyne CohenC, Irene AntebyC. Comparative analysis of biometry and anterior chamber metrics in the eyes of extreme hyperopic and emmetropic children. Journal of AAPOS. Sep. 2024. (IF 1.2. Q2 Ophthalmology)
19. Hadas Ben-EliPI, Hadas BliqueS, Mitchell ScheimanC, Rachel EichlerC. Developmental Eye Movement Test Results of Hebrew-Speaking Children with Cross-Linguistic Comparisons. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics. 2024. (IF 3.99. Q1 Ophthalmology / Optometry; citations 1)
20. Yehuda GinosarC-PI, Or SandmanS, Aharon TevetC, Malka BoretT, Riki GreenbergerT, Zipora BoimT, Ibrahim NaffarT, Esty HarpenasT, Jacob Pe’erC, Tali Bdolah-AbramT, Ronit Calderon-MargalitC, Hadas Ben-EliC-PI. On causal inferences from retrospective and observational studies and their implications for neuraxial labor analgesia: the CHRISTMAS* study. International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia. Dec 2024. (IF 2.6. Q2 Anesthesiology / Pain Medicine)
21. Hadas Ben-EliPI, Yaacov CnaanyC, Michael HalpertC, Itay ChowersC, Ayelet GoldsteinC. Investigating the Impact of Age and Sex on Cataract Surgery Complications and Outcomes. Scientific Reports. 2025. (IF 4.3. Q1 in Multidisciplinary; citations 11)
22. Hadas Ben-EliPI, Alon AvrahamiS, Aviya BenyaminT, Edna GranitT, Hadas MechoulamC, Irene AntebyC. Validation of the PlusOptix S12C for Detecting Amblyopia Risk Factors in a Tertiary Care Young Pediatric Population. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics. 2025. (IF 3.99. Q1 Ophthalmology / Optometry)
23. Hadas Ben-EliC-PI, Tal AsherS, Rivkah LenderS, Devora MirskyS, Riad Abu-ShkaraS, Mahmud HamidaS, Nadin AsleeS, Hadeel MarieS, Reut FlugS, Renana EitanC and Samer KhatebC-PI. Anterior Segment Characteristics and Quality of Life in Central Serous Chorioretinopathy. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2025. (IF 3.90. Q1 Medicine)
24. Hadas Ben-EliC-PI, Shimon PerelmanS, Denise WajnsztajnC, Abraham SolomonC-PI. Evaluating Magnetic Stimulation as an Innovative Approach for Treating Dry Eye Disease: An Initial Safety and Efficacy Study. Biomedicines. 2025. (IF 3.90. Q1 Medicine; citations 2)
25. Hamzah AweidahC, Ravid Ben-AviC, Malak SultanS, Zenaa MittwalliS, Marina AbdallahS, Aviya BenyaminT, Hadas Ben-EliPI. Ophthalmic Emergency Department Visits: Demographics and Clinical Characteristics. Clinical Ophthalmology. 2026. (IF 2.2. Q1 Ophthalmology)
26. Rachel EichlerC, Rivka-Yafa PasderS, Adi Darash-CohenS, Mitchell ScheimanC, Hadas Ben-EliPI. Cross-Linguistic Validation of the Vision Quality of Life with Time (VisQuaL-T) and Comparison to the Convergence Insufficiency Symptom Survey (CISS). Clinical and Experimental Optometry. 2026
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