Diagnostic Services

• Slit lamp biomicroscopy
• Direct and indirect ophthalmoscopy
• Tonometry
• Electroretinography
• Ocular ultrasonography (standard ocular and high resolution anterior segment scans)
• In vivo corneal confocal microscopy
• CT and MRI scans
• Culture, biopsy, routine lab testing plus many advanced diagnostic modalities

Surgical Services

• Orbital and adnexal surgery
• Squamous cell carcinoma treatments, including strontium 90 radiation treatment
• Corneal therapeutic and reconstructive procedures, keratotomies, grafts, and transpositions
• Cataract removal by phacoemulsification 
• Glaucoma management
• Diode laser treatment for iris/uveal/corpora nigra cyst ablation

Your scheduled visit to the Ophthalmology Service at the Cornell University Nemo Farm Animal Hospital begins when you pull up to the circular driveway in front of the large animal hospital. Please park your vehicle in the driveway, come into the reception area and check in at the front desk. After a small amount of paperwork, a technician or student will help you unload and walk your animal to its assigned stall. 

Often times, you may leave your vehicle and trailer right in the driveway but, if the lot is full, the receptionist will provide you with a parking pass and directions to nearby longer-term parking where overnight parking for trucks and trailers is also available.

After your vehicle is parked, a technician and student will work together to conduct an examination of your animal and ask you questions about the animal's past medical, surgical, travel, vaccination and worming history and current health. In the course of this examination, several tests are usually performed, including measurements of tear function and eye pressure and staining the eye with one or more ocular surface stains. Sometimes, animals who do not cooperate during the exam need to be sedated. If this is the case, a resident or ophthalmologist will prescribe sedation.

Next, the student will administer eye drops to dilate the pupil; just as in your own eyes these drops take 30 minutes or more to take effect. During that time, the student will leave to report their findings to a resident or faculty member, to analyze the results of the routine tests and to refine plans to further diagnose and treat your animal's eye condition. 

The student will return to complete the dilated portion of the examination. The ophthalmologist will have joined you by this time and will perform a second, comprehensive examination that will include a discussion with the students and residents during or after the exam; the clinician will also discuss all of the findings with you. Additional students and residents may be present and observing during this portion of the examination. This evaluation will take 1-2 hours. We appreciate your patience and understanding in allowing our veterinarians-in-training (perhaps your future veterinarian!) to interact with you and your pet.

Working together with you, a plan for further diagnosis and treatment of your animal will be developed. Patients that require surgery or advanced tests will often be admitted to the hospital at the conclusion of their initial appointment (patients admitted for surgical procedures often need to remain hospitalized for several days or longer). Patients with conditions that do not require hospitalization will be discharged with detailed written instructions and a summary of the exam findings. A copy will be faxed to your veterinarian.

American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists
A non-profit organization that certifies veterinarians in ophthalmology and provides information about veterinary eye disorders.

Diagnostic Services

• Slit lamp biomicroscopy
• Direct and indirect ophthalmoscopy
• Tonometry
• Electroretinography
• Ocular ultrasonography (standard ocular and high resolution anterior segment scans)
• In vivo corneal confocal microscopy
• CT and MRI scans
• Culture, biopsy, routine lab testing plus many advanced diagnostic modalities

Surgical Services

• Orbital and adnexal surgery
• Squamous cell carcinoma treatments, including strontium 90 radiation treatment
• Corneal therapeutic and reconstructive procedures, keratotomies, grafts, and transpositions
• Cataract removal by phacoemulsification 
• Glaucoma management
• Diode laser treatment for iris/uveal/corpa nigra cyst ablation

Your scheduled visit to the Ophthalmology Service at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals begins when you pull up to the circular driveway in front of the large animal hospital. Please park your vehicle in the driveway, come into the reception area and check in at the front desk. A technician or student will help you unload and walk your horse to its assigned stall. 

Often times, you may leave your vehicle and trailer right in the driveway but, if the lot is full, the receptionist will provide you with a parking pass and directions to nearby longer-term parking where overnight parking for trucks and trailers is also available.

After your vehicle is parked, a technician and student will work together to conduct an examination of your horse and ask you questions about the horse's past medical, surgical, travel, vaccination and worming history and current health. In the course of this examination, several tests are usually performed, including measurements of tear function and eye pressure and staining the eye with one or more ocular surface stains. Sometimes, animals who do not cooperate during the exam need to be sedated. If this is the case, a resident or ophthalmologist will prescribe sedation.

Next, the student will administer eye drops to dilate the pupil; just as in your own eyes these drops take 30 minutes or more to take effect. During that time, the student will leave to report their findings to a resident or faculty member, to analyze the results of the routine tests and to refine plans to further diagnose and treat your horse's eye condition. 

The student will return to complete the dilated portion of the examination. The ophthalmologist will have joined you by this time and will perform a second, comprehensive examination that will include a discussion with the students and residents during or after the exam; the clinician will also discuss all of the findings with you. Additional students and residents may be present and observing during this portion of the examination. This evaluation will take 1-2 hours. We appreciate your patience and understanding in allowing our veterinarians-in-training (perhaps your future veterinarian!) to interact with you and your pet.

Working together with you, a plan for further diagnosis and treatment of your horse will be developed. Patients that require surgery or advanced tests will often be admitted to the hospital at the conclusion of their initial appointment (patients admitted for surgical procedures often need to remain hospitalized for several days or longer). Patients with conditions that do not require hospitalization will be discharged with detailed written instructions and a summary of the exam findings. A copy will be faxed to your veterinarian.

OPHTHALMIC EMERGENCIES:
All daytime and after-hour ophthalmic emergencies are admitted and managed directly by the faculty and resident clinicians of the Ophthalmology Service. 

American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists
A non-profit organization that certifies veterinarians in ophthalmology and provides information about veterinary eye disorders.

• Electroretinography
• Ocular ultrasonography (standard ocular and high resolution anterior segment scans)
• In vivo corneal confocal microscopy
• CT and MRI scans

• Orbital and adnexal surgery
• Corneal therapeutic and reconstructive procedures, keratotomies, grafts, and transpositions
• Cataract removal by phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation
• Glaucoma management
• Diode laser retinopexy and uveal neoplasia and cyst ablation

Your scheduled visit to the Ophthalmology Service at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals begins with check in at the reception desk.  Following a small amount of paperwork, you will be greeted in the waiting room by one or two students currently in their ophthalmology rotation and brought to a private examination room.

The students will conduct an examination of your pet and ask you questions about your animal's history and current health. In the course of this examination, several tests are usually performed including measurements of tear function and eye pressure. This initial evaluation will take 30-45 minutes. We appreciate your patience and understanding in allowing these future veterinarians to interact with you and your pet.

The student will then administer dilating eye drops, which take 15 to 20 minutes to take effect. During that time, the student will then leave to consult with a resident or faculty member to analyze the results of the routine tests and refine plans to further diagnose and treat your pet's eye conditions.

The student will return to complete the dilated portion of the examination. Then an ophthalmologist will perform a second comprehensive examination and discuss the findings with you. Together, you will develop a plan for further diagnosis and treatment. Most patients that require surgery or advanced tests such as CT or MRI will be admitted to the hospital from their initial appointment.

OPHTHALMIC EMERGENCIES:
All daytime and after-hour ophthalmic emergencies are admitted and managed directly by the faculty and resident clinicians of the Ophthalmology Service.

Common Ophthalmic Conditions

Corneal ulcers

The surface of the eye is commonly injured and usually heals spontaneously without treatment or predictably with supportive treatments. But these injuries may result in ulceration of the cornea, which may become infected by bacteria or become deep enough to threaten loss of the vision and the eye. Diagnosis is made by complete ophthalmic examination. Treatment involves topical antibiotic therapy supported by surgical intervention to stabilize deep ulcers or wounds. With early aggressive treatment, outlook for healing is generally good.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is increased pressure within the eye leading to permanent vision impairment. It is an inherited condition in many breeds of dogs and some cat breeds. It also  occurs secondary to other ocular disorders such as inflammation, tumors, trauma in all species. 
The outlook for preserving vision in eyes with inherited glaucoma is guarded, with early diagnosis and treatment yielding the best results. Diagnosis is made by tonometry - a measurement of intraocular pressure. Management is both medical, using topical pressure control drugs made for people, and surgical, to reduce eye pressure and achieve comfort.

Cataracts 

Cataracts develop as common inherited defects in dogs and some other species. Most diabetic dogs develop secondary blinding cataracts. There are no proven or approved medical treatments to prevent, retard, or reverse cataract development, but cataract surgery is performed successfully on animals. Dogs are the most common recipients and most get intraocular lens implants like people do, returning durable useful vision.

Uveitis

This inflammation within the eye is commonly associated with ocular and systemic infections, immune-mediated and metabolic disorders, and is a frequent cause of temporary and permanent vision loss. Treatment and prognosis depend upon stage at diagnosis, causes, and control of associated medical conditions. Diagnosis is based upon complete ophthalmic examination and treatments include topical and systemic anti-inflammatory medications.

Retinal degeneration

Retinal degeneration is common in dogs and some other species. It is often an inherited defect but also can result from exposure to certain drugs or chemicals. In dogs, it may occur suddenly for unknown reasons. It  is diagnosed  by complete ophthalmic examination . Few retinal degenerations are treatable; most eventually result is severe vision impairment and blindness. 

American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologist 
A non-profit organization that certifies veterinarians in ophthalmology and provides information about veterinary eye disorders.