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Charles Schepens

1912 – 2006

American ophthalmologist

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About Charles Schepens

Lived 1912 – 2006 (aged 94). Charles Schepens was a Belgian and American physician, ophthalmologist and resistance fighter.

Human eye cross-sectional view. Courtesy NIH National Eye Institute.

Charles Louis Schepens (March 13, 1912 – March 28, 2006) was a Belgian and American ophthalmologist, regarded by many in the profession as "the father of modern retinal surgery", and member of the French Resistance.

Early life: medical training and member of the French Resistance

Schepens was born in Mouscron, Belgium, in 1912; He initially studied mathematics before graduating from medical school in 1935 at State University of Ghent in Belgium. Aware that the Germans had learned of the operation, he escaped to England. and at that time was the largest independent eye research organization in the United States. In 2011, the institute combined with the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.

In 1967, Schepens founded The Retina Society and was its first president from 1968 to 1969. He was also a pioneer of surgical techniques such as scleral buckling for the repair of retinal detachments. The use of these techniques has raised the success of retinal reattachment surgery from 40% to 90%. In 2006, Schepens died of a stroke at the age of 94.

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Important facts

Birth century
Awards
Knight of the Legion of Honour
Also known as
Charles Louis Schepens, Charles L. Schepens

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Charles Schepens's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Charles Schepens?

American ophthalmologist (1912–2006)

When was Charles Schepens born?

Charles Schepens was born on 13 March 1912 in Mouscron.

When did Charles Schepens die?

Charles Schepens died on 28 March 2006 in Nahant.

What was Charles Schepens's occupation?

Charles Schepens was a physician, ophthalmologist and resistance fighter.

What nationality was Charles Schepens?

Charles Schepens was Belgian and American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Charles Schepens

· Wikidata: Q1803816

· DBpedia: Charles Schepens

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Charles Schepens. https://biography.guide/charles-schepens/

MLA: "Charles Schepens." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/charles-schepens/.

Chicago: "Charles Schepens." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/charles-schepens/.

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