Dr. Shehzad Batliwala, DO, is a first-generation Indian-American ophthalmologist, entrepreneur, and advocate for personal growth and resilience.
His story began far from the operating room as an undocumented immigrant navigating the challenges of belonging, financial uncertainty, and family health struggles. Out of necessity, he became an entrepreneur at a young age, founding a cell phone repair business that he later scaled into a successful franchise across East Texas. This business ultimately enabled him to pursue his dream of becoming a doctor. That experience taught him grit, adaptability, and the power of building something from the ground up—lessons that now shape how he approaches medicine, leadership, and life.
Breaking barriers as the first DO admitted into a prestigious MD ophthalmology residency program, Dr. Shehz went on to specialize in advanced cataract and refractive surgery. He also completed an internship at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, where he studied how zero gravity impacts astronauts’ vision, blending his lifelong fascination with space and science.
But beyond his impressive credentials, Dr. Shehz’s mission is deeply human. He believes in treating patients as people, not numbers, and in leading with compassion over convention. His new clinic, Visionary Eye, reflects this philosophy—merging cutting-edge surgical care with an approach rooted in empathy, education, and whole-person well-being.
Dr. Shehz has also taken part in multiple mission trips around the world, most recently in Gaza, serving underprivileged communities through medical care, which inspired him to implement a one-for-one model in his new clinic: For every paying patient, they provide sight-saving care for someone else in need.
Outside the clinic, Dr. Shehz is a speaker, storyteller, and community advocate. His work centers on helping others redefine success, not by titles or achievements, but by alignment, purpose, and self-acceptance. He shares lessons from his journey of resilience, healing, and self-discovery to inspire others to live authentically and lead with humanity.
Driven by curiosity and grounded in gratitude, Dr. Shehz embodies what it means to be both visionary and vulnerable—a surgeon not just restoring sight, but helping others see themselves more clearly, too.
Awards and Accolades
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-Best Original Research Award, Millennial Eye Live Meeting, 2019
-Sparks Osteopathic Foundation Scholarship, 2016
-Lubbock Osteopathic Fund Scholarship Award, 2016
-Second Place Award at the NASA Space Apps Challenge, 2016
-First Place Award for Best Original Research, Texas Osteopathic Medical Association, 2016
-Sigma Sigma Phi Academic Scholar Award, 2015
-McGraw-Hill Education Lange Award, 2014
-Dean’s List, UNTHSC Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, 2013-2017
-Dean’s and President’s List, University of Texas at Tyler, 2009-2013
