A unique animal undergoes a first for eye surgery

Central Point, Ore. — Catalina is a 32-year-old flamingo who underwent cataract surgery Wednesday at Bliss Animal Eye Care.

Catalina lives at the Wildlife Safari. Workers say they first started noticing something was wrong when she had a hard time getting around at night.

As ophthalmologist Dr. Cassandra Bliss explains, this is not a routine surgery.

“It’s rarely done in this species. In fact it’s only been done one other time in New York. But never on the west coast,” said Bliss.

This surgery is not easy.

“The eyes are tiny,” Bliss said “When you speak to any ophthalmologist we are already using micro-surgical tools. That being said we have different sizes and this is definitely going to be the smallest.”

The recovery was success and Catalina will now be recovering for about two weeks.

 

 

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