John D. Sheppard, M.D., M.M.Sc.
President, Virginia Eye Consultants
Associate Professor, Eastern Virginia Medical School

Dr. John Sheppard is a board-certified, fellowship-trained corneal eye surgeon and the Virginia Eye Consultant specialist in corneal transplantation, dry eye syndrome, uveitis, cataract surgery, glaucoma, and premium lens implants. He is listed in The Best Doctors in America and has received the American Academy of Ophthalmology Honor Award.

Dr. Sheppard is the president of Virginia Eye Consultants and oversees VEC’s unique mission as a world class academic, clinical, research and teaching center of excellence in ophthalmology. 

"When patients walk into the doors of the VEC center, they can be assured of receiving outstanding care from physicians who are at the top of their field," says Dr. Sheppard. At the same time, the VEC staff takes pride in offering patients a setting that is comfortable, pleasant and attractive.

“What differentiates VEC from other vision care practices is our level of expertise,” says Dr. Sheppard. “Our training, experience, skill and knowledge allow us to treat the most challenging conditions, regardless of the situation. Our doctors are proactive in offering new treatments because many times we have developed them, led a research team doing the investigation or we serve on a national advisory board that reviews the results.”

Currently Dr. Sheppard is investigating new methods of preventing rejection for patients undergoing corneal transplantation. He is a lead investigator for a new cyclosporine implant, and in affiliation with Eastern Virginia Medical School, he is conducting clinical research on ways to treat the corneal tissue prior to implantation. He is also reviewing new therapies for treating uveitis and dry eye.

A native of Pittsburgh, Dr. Sheppard received his bachelors, masters and medical degrees from Brown University in Rhode Island on a full Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship. He served four years with the U.S. Navy as the 6th Fleet Medical Officer and Chief of Family Practice.

After his military service, Dr. Sheppard pursued a residency in ophthalmology at the University of Pittsburgh Eye and Ear Institute and then a fellowship at the University of California Francis I. Proctor Research Foundation in San Francisco. He was awarded prestigious Heed-Knapp, Burroughs-Wellcome and NIH National Research Fellowship grants in his study of corneal disease, uveitis, third world blindness and ocular immunology at UC San Francisco.

In 1989, Dr. Sheppard joined VEC and was named to the faculty at Eastern Virginia Medical School. He serves as the medical school’s ophthalmology program director and clinical director of the Thomas R. Lee Center of Ocular Pharmacology. In addition, he is a member of the EVMS Development Committee.

Dr. Sheppard is actively involved as a principal investigator for numerous clinical trials sponsored by many major pharmaceutical companies and for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. As an educator, Dr. Sheppard is a sought after international lecturer and author of hundreds of articles for professional journals. Dr. Sheppard serves on the editorial board for EyeNet Magazine and as an editor for eMedicine online. In addition, he is the medical examiner for the American Board of Ophthalmology and the co-founder of EyeRx Research and ProVision Network.

Board Certified Corneal Specialist

• Corneal Transplantation
• Clinical Research
• Dry Eye
• Infections
• Cataract Surgery
• Glaucoma
• Uveitis
• Second Opinions
• ReSTOR® Multifocal Intraocular Lens
• Toric® Intraocular Lens for Astigmatism