Sheardown is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineers, and the International Union of Societies of Biomaterials and Engineering. She has an international reputation for her research on ophthalmic biomaterials, including her innovative work on the development of new materials for artificial cornea and ophthalmic drug delivery.

Sheardown has published extensively and holds several peer reviewed grants. She holds numerous patents on materials and drug delivery systems for treating conditions in the eye including several patents in conjunction with companies for the development of specific products and a recently granted patent on mucoadhesive micelles for treatment of dry eye. These micelles are the subject of a spin out company, 20/20 OptimEyes.

Sheardown has worked extensively with major ophthalmic materials companies as Scientific Director of the C20/20 Innovation Hub.