Shawn Sussmane, O.D.
“I love East Tennessee.”
In 2002, a young Shawn Sussmane, O.D., decided, though life in Louisiana was great, it was time to move back to a place he called home.
Dr. Sussmane grew up in Johnson City, Tennessee and attended school in Tennessee from undergraduate studies all the way through to his degree in Optometry.
“Tennessee is in my blood,” says Dr. Sussmane, Knoxville Optometrist with Drs. Campbell, Cunningham, Taylor & Haun. “It’s a place where mine and my wife’s family live and it’s where we wanted to build our lives as well. After all, family comes first.”
Since then, Dr. Sussmane has practiced Optometry in and around Knoxville. But, being a part of Drs. Campbell, Cunningham, Taylor and Haun, brings a complete level of capability for his patients. Having multiple specialists within one eye care practice is important, which is something he learned early in life through his own personal experience.
When Dr. Sussmane was 10 years old, an eye injury sparked a journey where he would personally experience multiple disciplines in the eye care profession in order to save his vision. “I was bit by a dog and he got me in the eye,” explains Dr. Sussmane. “It was a complicated injury that required me seeing an Ophthalmologist, a Retina Specialist and several Optometrists. Thankfully, they were able to save my vision. The whole experience made me think of eye care as my career.”
Having known early on that he would pursue eye care as a profession, Dr. Sussmane graduated from ETSU with a degree in Biology then went on to complete a Masters in Biochemistry at The University of Tennessee Knoxville before attending Southern College of Optometry in Memphis.
Today, Dr. Sussmane routinely performs comprehensive eye exams and writes prescriptions for eyeglasses and contacts. He also checks for eye conditions, such as cataract, glaucoma, dry eye and diabetic eye disease.
Additionally, he manages various eye conditions. But, working with Drs. Campbell, Cunningham, Taylor & Haun, brings about a capability to refer patients that require an eye care specialist within the same practice.
“When I had my eye injury, I had to see an Ophthalmologist who also referred me to a Retina Specialist,” recalls Dr. Sussmane. “I went from the emergency room on to seeing several different eye doctors, each of whom were in a different practice. Even as a youngster, I felt like I was starting over each time I would visit a different doctor. Here, though, I have the confidence that I can refer my patients to doctors within our single practice and I can have direct conversations about the best treatment path for the patient. It’s an unusual but highly beneficial setup.”
Dr. Sussmane did his externship in Metairie, Louisiana and practiced in Shreveport, Louisiana for two years before returning to East Tennessee. He has seen patients for glasses and contact lens exams, diabetic, cataract and other eye disease exams and treats patients for a variety of eye conditions, such as, glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and more. He performs contact lens fittings for even the most nervous patients.
“I love seeing patients in East Tennessee,” he says. “I like to get to know the families and treat the parents, grandparents as well as children of all ages. I try my best to get the most accurate diagnosis and prescriptions for patients. There’s so much to see in East Tennessee and I want to do what I can to help everyone see their very best.”
In his free time, Dr. Sussmane enjoys all of what East Tennessee has to offer including hiking, fishing as well as exercising at the local YMCA.
“I have to admit, there might not be a prettier place to live than East Tennessee,” explains, Dr. Sussmane. “We have the mountains, streams, pretty fall and summer colors, just a great place to live. My family and I truly are at home in East Tennessee.”
Call (865) 584-0905 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Shawn Sussmane.
Ophthalmic Specialties
Comprehensive Eye Care & Consultation
Contact Lens
Refractive Lens Consultation
Cataract & Intraocular Lens—Pre- and Post-Operative Care
Refractive Laser Surgery Care—Pre- and Post Operative Care for PRK and LASIK®
Ocular Disease—Diagnosis, Management and Treatment
Diabetic Retinopathy
Professional Affiliations
Tennessee Association of Optometric Physicians
Education
Undergraduate
Bachelor of Science in Biology
East Tennessee State University
Johnson City, TN
Graduate
Masters in Biochemistry
University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN
Medical School
Doctor of Optometry
Southern College of Optometry
Memphis, TN
Externship
Eyecare Associates of New Orleans
Metairie, Louisiana