Cataract Surgery (Phacoemulsification)  

Dr. Corcoran has been performing cataract surgery since 1991. She has performed over 3000 cataract surgeries in dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, fish and even a loggerhead turtle! Dr. Corcoran’s success rate is among the highest in the profession.

Numerous advances in surgical equipment, techniques, and lens implant material have occurred over the years. Currently, cataract surgery is performed with an ultrasound technology called phacoemulsification. With this technique, a small, 3mm probe is placed into the eye and the tip of they probe vibrates at over 40,000 times per second. This breaks down the cataract proteins into a powder and they are sucked out of the eye through the small probe tip. Following removal of the lens/ cataract, a folding lens implant is placed in the eye to restore both dogs and cats optimum vision. Occasionally, an animal cannot have a lens implant. This can occur if there is not good lens support. Poor lens support can be inherited in some breeds, such as Jack Russell Terriers and Poodles, or more commonly can be due to the cataract being left in the eye for a long time. Cats sometimes do not receive lens implants due to pre-existing inflammation in the eye that can damage supporting structures of the lens. In my opinion, dogs without lens implants seem to see best at arms length and are blurry up-close and at distance but are by no means blind as long as the eye heals normally.

While the success rate for cataract surgery is 95%, complications can occur such as glaucoma, retinal detachments, and infection- the same as in human cataract surgery. During the pre-operative exam, risks factors will be identified and discussed for each patient and all questions will be answered.

Dr. Corcoran has continued to update not only her cataract equipment and surgical techniques over the years but also the anesthesia and surgical, monitoring equipment. Since the average age of our surgical patients is 12 years, we take anesthesia very seriously. Anesthetic safety is achieved by using the safest anesthesia ventilating computers and state-of-the-art, monitoring equipment. In fact, we take it so serious that we have 2 sets of all the equipment and a very large generator for back up power. Dr. Corcoran has been in practice since 1989 and has performed over 13,500 anesthetic procedures.

At VET VISION, the patients receive high level experience and state-of- the-art care by our
qualified staff.

What are Cataracts? Click Here for more...

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