Ophthalmology

While animals use all their sensory organs to a greater degree than humans, their eyes are just as important to them as ours are to us. Dogs, for example, can see three times better in low lighting than we can. This visual acuity not only keeps your pet safe but also can be reassuring when you're home alone or outdoors at night. It can even save lives during a search and rescue operation.

Staffed by a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist - a specialist in animal eye care - the Ophthalmology service at NorthStar VETS offers comprehensive diagnostic resources along with medical and surgical treatments for ocular (eye) diseases. We see a wide variety of companion-animal patients, including dogs, cats, pocket pets, birds and horses.

The Services We Offer

Because ocular diseases can be linked with systemic health problems, we perform a complete ophthalmic exam on each patient. This diagnostic exam includes sophisticated testing:

• Schirmer tear test
• Fluorescein stain
• Intraocular pressure measurement by digital tonometry
• Slit lamp biomicroscopy
• Indirect ophthalmoscopy
• CERF exams

Treatment, of course, depends on the diagnosis. We are able to offer a full range of medical and surgical therapies, including:

• Cataract removal
• Conjunctival flaps
• Corneal grafts
• Distichia cryoepilation
• Entropion surgery
• Enucleation
• Etopic cilia excision
• Intraocular prosthesis placement
• Keratectomy (surgical removal of part of the cornea)
• Laser surgery
• Laser surgery for glaucoma
• Laser surgery for intraocular melanomas
• Lens removal
• Luxated lens removal
• Medial canthoplasty (surgery to restore a defective canthus, the junction of eyelids)
• Orbital surgery
• Parotid duct transposition
• Prolapsed nictitans (Cherry eye) corrective surgery
• Reconstructive eyelid surgery
• Retinopexy (surgical fixation of the retina)
• Tumor resection (removal)

The Conditions We See

Some of the most common conditions and eye diseases we treat at NorthStar VETS include:

• Anterior uveitis
• Cataracts
• Chronic superficial keratitis-pannus
• Corneal infection
• Corneal ulcers
• Crystalline corneal opacities
• Distichiasis, trichiasis and ectopic cilia
• Dry-eye syndrome
• Endothelial cell dystrophy
• Entropion
• Eosinophilic keratitis
• Eyelid tumors
• Feline herpes viral disease
• Feline hypersensitivity retinopathy
• Feline uveitis
• Follicular conjunctivitis
• Glaucoma
• Horner's syndrome
• Intraocular melanomas
• Lenticular sclerosis, nuclear sclerosis
• Lens luxations
• Medial canthal entropion
• Nictitans gland prolapse ("Cherry Eye")
• Pigmentary keratitis
• Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)
• Retinal detachment
• Retrobulbar abscesses, tumors and cysts
• SARDS
• Uveal cysts

To make a referral or schedule a consultation with our Ophthalmology Department,
simply call NorthStar VETS at 609.259.8300.

Jeanette Opalski - Client Liaison
Pet Parents: Contact Jeanette at 609-259-8300 x1204 or at jopalski@northstarvets.com to schedule your appointment and get all pre-consultation paperwork set up.

Veterinarians: Contact Jeanette with questions about in-hospital cases, or to discuss a pending case. You can also refer a case online.