John Shepherd, MD FACS was recognized as an Honored Guest at the 2008 Annual Symposium and Congress of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, April 5, 2008 in Chicago.

Dr. Shepherd was recognized as a leader in the development of phacoemulsification surgical techniques.

Dr. Shepherd grew up in Southern Illinois and earned degrees from Southern Illinois University and the University of Illinois Medical School, where, he described himself as an indifferent student until he took an elective in ophthalmology and became “hooked!” He completed his Northwestern residency at Hines V.A., now Loyola University.

Dr. Shepherd took one of Dr. Kelman’s first phacoemulsification courses in 1973, and later worked with Doctors Binkhorst and Worst in Holland and began implanting intraocular lenses. He went into private practice in Las Vegas, Nevada.

When early silicone implants were being tested and had problems with decentration, Dr. Shepherd reported that the use of Gimbel and Neuhann’s capsularhexis prevented movement of the implant. He became an early proponent of small incision cataract surgery, developing the horizontal suture closure to prevent induced astigmatism. In 1989, he introduced the “four quadrant divide and conquer” technique, which has remained the most common phaco technique.

Dr. Shepherd served as a clinical professor at the University of Utah and was a founding member of ASCRS where he served on its scientific advisory board. He lectured internationally, authored a number of papers, and contributed to 11 books on cataract surgery. In 2005, he gave the Jan Worst Medal lecture at the International Intraocular Implant Club.

He retired in 2007 and lives in Las Vegas and Sun Valley, Idaho with his wife Nancy. He is currently finishing a Master Degree in military history.