When medicine alone is not an option for treatment, The Eye Specialist for Animals specialises in a wide range of surgical therapy such as cataract surgery, glaucoma surgery, endothelial keratoplasty, eyelid correction surgery.
Cataracts are frequently diagnosed in certain dog and cat breeds. Accurate diagnosis is paramount to differentiate it from nuclear sclerosis (normal aging change in the lens). A thorough eye examination by a specialist is necessary to determine if cataract surgery is needed. The Eye Specialist for Animals has performed numerous surgeries in Singapore-bred dogs with complex cataracts that were often left too late. Early diagnosis gives you time to prepare if surgery is suitable for your family member. Cataract surgeries are performed by a skilled experienced board-certified ophthalmologist to maximise success.
Corneal abrasions, complicated ulcers, corneal perforations are commonly encountered in dogs, cats and rabbits. Treatment may involve medical therapy, or as a last resort, surgery. Some of the surgeries we perform include (but not exhaustive) keratectomy, conjunctival graft, corneo-conjunctival transposition, corneal laceration repair. As an ocular specialist centre, we are the only practice that performs collagen crosslinking for certain corneal conditions such as keratomalacia. Dr Boo is a pioneer in Descemet’s stripping endothelial keratoplasty, which is a perform of corneal transplant. The iris is thoroughly examined and options discussed. Surgical options for the iris include (but not exhaustive) iris biopsy, iridectomy (for resectable tumours), laser ablation, uveal cyst laser or aspiration.
Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness in dogs. Once glaucoma is diagnosed by your regular veterinarian, your pet should be assessed by a specialist as soon as possible. This is because clinical signs of glaucoma can be elusive in early stages. If a case presents late in the disease process, our options to save vision and the eye may be limited.
The glaucoma surgeries we perform include gonioimplants (also known as shunts) and transscleral cyclophotocoagulation. We routinely perform enucleation (eye removal), intrascleral prosthesis, and ciliary body ablation. that is an effective surgical option in the early stages.
Other surgical options for non-visual eyes include enucleation (eye removal), intrascleral prosthesis, and ciliary body ablation.
The retina is a sensitive neural tissue at the back of the eye that is not visible to the naked eye. If you noticed that your pet has lost vision, he/she should be presented to the specialist as soon as possible. Our practice performs retinal re-attachment surgery. This is a highly specialised surgery that is provided by our practice only. There is only a small window of opportunity to regain vision after retinal re-attachment surgery is performed.
Tears are an essential part of a healthy eye. There are different components of a tear film that may be deficient, leading to an eye that looks dry. Corneal ulcers and pain can result. Early diagnosis is ideal to avoid complications. Our specialist can help you formulate a treatment and management plan. If medical therapeutic options are exhausted, our specialist can perform parotid duct transposition surgery for the right patient.
Enucleation, exenteration of tumours in the orbit and orbitotomies are surgical options for various different ocular conditions. Eyelid correction and reconstruction surgeries are frequently performed by board-certified specialists. They include (not exhaustive)
Eyelid mass removals are performed with precision to restore normal lid function. We also perform surgery for distichiasis and ectopic cilia resection.
Third eyelid surgeries may include nictitans gland prolapse repair or scrolled cartilage correction.
Our specialist routinely diagnose, treat and manage diseases affecting the brain and nerves that are closely related to the eyes. Often, these cases may require multidisciplinary specialty involvement.
A slit lamp biomicroscope is used to evaluate the front portion of the eye on a microscopic level. This instrument allows for the optical sectioning of the eye. The back portion of the eye is evaluated using indirect ophthalmoscopy and a series of condensing lenses.
The Eye Specialist for Animals is proud to be able to provide OFA Eye Certifcation Registry examinations to breeders of dogs. These examinations can be performed only by qualified board-certified veterinary ophthalmologists. These examinations find potential heritable eye diseases in dogs before they are passed on to future generations, helping to limit the amount of genetic eye disease in dogs, and produce healthier dogs.
Please see the OFA website for additional information.
When medicine alone is not an option for treatment, The Eye Specialist for Animals specialises in a wide range of surgical therapy such as cataract surgery, glaucoma surgery, endothelial keratoplasty, eyelid correction surgery.
The Eye Specialist for Animals are equipped to perform specialized ophthalmic testing such as Schirmer tear testing, Fluorescein stain, Tonometry, Gonioscopy, Ocular ultrasound, Chromatic pupillary light tests, Electroretinography, Cytology of ocular tissues and Superficial and deep biopsy of ocular tissues.
Any injury where the head was involved with blunt force trauma or any injury that is life-threatening should be evaluated immediately/as soon as possible by your primary veterinarian or the nearest 24-hour emergency hospital.
The Eye Specialist for Animals is available for emergency referral cases during business hours and after hours on a case-by-case basis.
There are some common ocular emergencies that may present to an eye specialist such as a corneal or lens laceration, ruptured eye, lens luxation, glaucoma, proptosis (eye displaced from the socket). There are surgical options for some cases. It is best to present in a timely manner to maximise our chances of success of restoring vision.
Any injury where the head was involved with blunt force trauma or any injury that is life-threatening should be evaluated immediately/as soon as possible by your primary veterinarian or the nearest 24-hour emergency hospital.
The Eye Specialist for Animals is available for emergency referral cases during business hours and after hours on a case-by-case basis.
DURING BUSINESS HOURS:
We are open from 8:00 a.m-5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.. If you feel your pet is having an ocular emergency, call 6241 2011 or have your primary care veterinarian call our clinic during business hours to discuss emergency referral.
DURING AFTER HOURS:
For new clients:
You must be referred by a veterinarian, either your primary care veterinarian or an emergency veterinarian. The veterinarian should call the number 6241 2011 and leave a message with the reception. The message should include: first and last name of the patient and owner, type of pet (including breed, age and sex), name of veterinarian, a brief description of the emergency and best contact number to reach the veterinarian. A message will be sent to the on-call staff that will contact your veterinarian to determine the best course of action for your pet. Our on-call staff will then contact you to discuss arrangement for an after-hours examination and fees associated the emergency visit. Your veterinarian and our veterinarian may determine emergency examination can wait until business hours and instead discuss the best medical management for your pet until referral.
A specialist veterinary ophthalmologist is a Diplomate of the American or European College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists or Fellow of the Royal Australian New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (Ophthalmology). Specialist status has been introduced to protect owners and their pets, providing them with the piece of mind in knowing that they are genuinely dealing with someone who has achieved the highest level of expertise in their field. An officially recognised Veterinary Specialist is an individual who has had advanced training in an approved facility provided by a fully qualified expert in their field.
It takes in the order of 10,000 – 12,000 hours for a vet to become a Specialist vet. A vet wishing to become a Specialist will normally do one or two 12 month internships at a Specialist centre and then apply for a 3 year Residency where he/she trains directly under other Specialists spending 100% of their time on their area of specialism – so in total, the process generally takes about 5 years and also includes publishing clinical research papers before the vet is ready to sit the Specialist exams, which can sometimes have a pass rate of only 30%.
Candidates who pass the exams are known as Diplomates and win the hard-earned right to be called a Specialist.
Terms such as “Consultant” or “Ophthalmologist” or other such terms are confusing for the general public as in the human medical field they imply specialist status. It is important to understand that this is not the case in the veterinary field. Only a veterinary surgeon who is a Recognised Specialist is allowed to call themselves a “Specialist”. Always ask to ensure you are seeing a fully qualified Specialist. Follow this link to clarify whether the person you are seeing is a recognised specialist in veterinary ophthalmology. https://sva.org.sg/veterinaryspecialists/
The veterinary profession has several levels of post graduate study available for people interested in ophthalmology. The Certificate in Veterinary Ophthalmology is awarded to general practitioners who have an interest in a subject but this is not a specialist qualification. This is also not a recognised formal ophthalmology training program in an approved facility.
Should I return to my referring veterinarians for reviews?
Your primary care veterinarian can refer you to see our ophthalmologist. You or your veterinarian can call the reception at +65 6241 2011 and then make an appointment with us and send us your pet’s history.
Early detection of canine and feline eye problems can be critical to treating them in time before permanent damage or blindness sets in.
Some unusual signs may be: dilated pupils or pupils of two different sizes, Cloudiness or sudden change in eye color, Unusual spots on the iris (the colored portion of the eye) or the cornea (the surface of the eye), Squinting, winking, or keeping the eye(s) closed, Pawing at the eye, Ocular discharge, excessive watering, crustiness in the corners of the eye, tear stained fur, Visible third eyelid.
Your primary care veterinarian should be your first port of call to identify if it is an emergency. In general, there is only a small window of opportunity for us to correct a condition in the eye with minimal complications and high success rates. Therefore, most eye conditions should not wait!
No. Dogs are not humans. The cause of cataracts in dogs is not as commonly associated with aging as in the case for humans. If your dog has a cataract, please see an ophthalmologist to give you correct and the most current advice. Cataracts are not a benign condition, they SHOULD NOT be neglected.
Using state-of-the-art surgical equipment and diagnostic techniques, we aim to deliver advanced eye care for your pet with compassion and warmth.
Using state-of-the-art surgical equipment and diagnostic techniques, we aim to deliver advanced eye care for your pet with compassion and warmth.
