%0 Case Reports
%T Long-term outcome of phacoemulsification in raptors-A retrospective study (1999-2014).
%A Sigmund AB
%A Jones MP
%A Ward DA
%A Hendrix DVH
%J Vet Ophthalmol
%V 22
%N 3
%D May 2019
%M 30724454
%F 1.444
%R 10.1111/vop.12624
%X <B>OBJECTIVE: </B>To determine long-term outcome of phacoemulsification in raptors at the University of Tennessee Veterinary Medical Center.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Seven nonreleasable diurnal raptors including, four bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), two red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis), and one peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) that had undergone phacoemulsification. All birds showed behavioral changes attributable to visual deficits prior to surgery.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>All birds underwent phacoemulsification for cataracts. Four underwent bilateral phacoemulsification, and three had unilateral surgery. Due to a low sample size, statistics were not done.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>Six raptors (nine eyes) had long-term follow-up (median 75 months, range 28 to 105 months). Seven of these eyes (78%) were visual at last examination. Of those visual eyes, two developed mild to moderate posterior synechiae, four had mild to moderate capsular opacities, and one developed a lipid keratopathy. The remaining two eyes with long-term follow-up were from the same red-tailed hawk. Both eyes developed fibropupillary membranes that were blinding. One eye was pseudophakic, and the other was aphakic and also developed a rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. Another bald eagle was euthanized two months after surgery due to refractory glaucoma; one eye was pseudophakic.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>Phacoemulsification is a viable treatment for captive raptors with cataracts. The most severe complications occurred relatively soon after surgery. Captive raptors appear to adapt well to aphakia.