Academic Appointment

1949-2006

• Clinical Professor, Professor Emeritus, Harvard Medical School
• Founder, Retina Foundation at Harvard, now named The Schepens Eye Research Institute
• Director, Retina Service, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

Education & Training

Fellowship: Howe Laboratory of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School

Residency: Moorfields Eye Hospital, London

Medical School: State University of Ghent, Belgium

Military Service

Captain, Medical Corps, Belgian Air Force, followed by fighting with the French Resistance

Reflections

Thierry Verstraeten, MD

I had the privilege to call Charles Schepens Uncle Charles, as he married my father’s aunt. What struck me in 1985 when I lived with them in Nahant, Massachusetts was his work ethic—unsurpassed energy is putting it mildly. Even at age 73 and with a bad back, he was still operating and running a full clinic schedule. He exercised by swimming in the cold sea right along the edge of his yard in Nahant. 

The saying, “Behind every good man, there is a better woman,” is true when it came to his wife, Cette. She was an accomplished artist in her own right and always thought she would have Charles to herself one day, after his retirement. Sadly, that was never to happen. He suffered a deadly stroke in March 2006 in Salem, Massachusetts as he finished supper with his cherished wife of nearly 70 years. 

Alice McPherson, MD

Dr. Schepens accepted me into his retina surgery program at a time when no other women had been offered this type of fellowship training. He gave me his full support and allowed me to learn from his expertise.

Without his training, I would have spent the rest of my life doing refractions. But instead, I have been fortunate enough to have had an extensive vitreoretinal surgical practice and to have founded the successful Retina Research Foundation.

Jay S. Duker, MD, FASRS

There are many impressive things about Dr. Schepens, but the trait that stood out the most was his doggedness. All that he did, he did full out. He never took “no” for an answer, and never felt that any challenge was too big.

Of course, the most important contribution he made was to usher us all into the era of modern retinal detachment repair with the introduction of the binocular indirect ophthalmoscope. It took him years to convince the skeptics who continued to attempt to find peripheral breaks using a direct ophthalmoscope. However, eventually all ophthalmologists realized that by identifying the causative breaks, retinal detachment repair success rates could double.

Felix N. Sabates Sr, MD, FACS

Charles Schepens brought researchers and clinicians together and, indeed, was the creator as well as innovator of applied research in ophthalmology. He stressed that he was only a “facilitator.” Of course, he was more—an iconic figure and an example to follow.

He imparted his knowledge to all, and was devoid of the greed and lack of humility shown by some of our uninformed colleagues who fail to give proper credit to a great man. As for the future, I suspect he would say (and I would agree) that the future will be great and will be shaped by young, intelligent people who will continue to pursue the highest principles of our profession.

Tatsuo Hirose, MD

Charles Schepens attracted many ophthalmologists to his group, Retina Associates, for clinical fellowship, and scientists to the Schepens Eye Institute for research.

When I was one of Dr. Schepens’ retina fellows, he offered us 2 pieces of advice. First, plan to give your patients what is best for them instead of satisfying your personal interests. Second, do not hesitate to ask them to support your research by donating. He told us not to shy away—to ask for a large amount. These 2 recommendations from Dr. Schepens have benefitted me in my career. I learned medicine from him, but his advice has become equally important.

Click here to make a donation to the Foundation’s History of Retina. You can make a general donation or in memory of an individual.

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(Tribute published 2021)

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