Doctors keeping an eye on orang utan
By : Annie Freeda Cruez
KUALA LUMPUR: If he could speak, Aman would be expressing his joy. Blinded by cataract in both eyes for nearly a decade, a ground-breaking surgery has given the 19-year-old orang utan his sight back.
Animal ophthalmologist Dr Izak Venter and anaesthetist Dr Frik Stegman performed the world’s first bilateral cataract surgery on an orang utan last Wednesday morning. The South African doctors were assisted by local veterinarian Dr Amilan Sivagurunnathan.
"I am so delighted the surgery went well. So far, he’s had no post-operative complications.
"He’s doing fine, and he can see," Dr Venter told the New Straits Times in an exclusive interview before he returned to South Africa yesterday.
He said the surgery on the large male ape presented a unique challenge, adding that it was the efforts of the entire team that made the surgery a success.
Aman is being closely watched in an indoor cage at the Matang Wildlife Centre in Sarawak to monitor how he reacts to being able to see again.
"He’s looking around. His eyes are sensitive, especially to bright light, and he could be feeling uncomfortable.
"He is on medication and receives eye drops two or three times a day. There has been no drastic behaviour change but we are keeping a close watch on him," said Dr Venter.
Aman’s sight began failing in 1996 and by 2000 he was blind. Dr Venter was flown in from South Africa in March to examine him.
He found that he had normal retinal function with mature cataracts and a decision was made to perform phacoemulsification, the most common type of cataract surgery.
"This is not a laser treatment," explained Dr Venter. A small incision was made in the eye, the lens was opened and the cloudy contents were removed with a probe. Then an artificial lens was inserted."
The surgery, which took just under two hours — 45 minutes on each eye — went smoothly, except for the initial problem of sedating Aman, he said.
Dr Venter described Aman’s reaction: "He was initially finding it difficult to open his eyes. He was feeling drowsy. Four hours later, he was up but still seemed very sleepy. He was much better the next morning."
The veterinary consultant with the Animal Medical Centre Group of Hospitals, waived his professional fee for the surgery.
He said that Aman would remain in his cage at least for the next few months.
"He could become aggressive. We are monitoring his behaviour and it may take a few months before Aman is let out.
"Sensation usually returns to the eye within a few hours. Improved vision is usually noticed within a few days, although complete healing may take several months," he said.
Dr Venter has carried out many such surgeries on elephants, lions, cheetahs, tigers, rhinoceroses and other wild animals during his 13 years of practice in South Africa, but this is the first time he has operated on a big ape.
"We will give him (Dr Venter) a weekly update," said Dr Amilan.
From New Straits Time
KUALA LUMPUR: If he could speak, Aman would be expressing his joy. Blinded by cataract in both eyes for nearly a decade, a ground-breaking surgery has given the 19-year-old orang utan his sight back.
Animal ophthalmologist Dr Izak Venter and anaesthetist Dr Frik Stegman performed the world’s first bilateral cataract surgery on an orang utan last Wednesday morning. The South African doctors were assisted by local veterinarian Dr Amilan Sivagurunnathan.
"I am so delighted the surgery went well. So far, he’s had no post-operative complications.
"He’s doing fine, and he can see," Dr Venter told the New Straits Times in an exclusive interview before he returned to South Africa yesterday.
He said the surgery on the large male ape presented a unique challenge, adding that it was the efforts of the entire team that made the surgery a success.
Aman is being closely watched in an indoor cage at the Matang Wildlife Centre in Sarawak to monitor how he reacts to being able to see again.
"He’s looking around. His eyes are sensitive, especially to bright light, and he could be feeling uncomfortable.
"He is on medication and receives eye drops two or three times a day. There has been no drastic behaviour change but we are keeping a close watch on him," said Dr Venter.
Aman’s sight began failing in 1996 and by 2000 he was blind. Dr Venter was flown in from South Africa in March to examine him.
He found that he had normal retinal function with mature cataracts and a decision was made to perform phacoemulsification, the most common type of cataract surgery.
"This is not a laser treatment," explained Dr Venter. A small incision was made in the eye, the lens was opened and the cloudy contents were removed with a probe. Then an artificial lens was inserted."
The surgery, which took just under two hours — 45 minutes on each eye — went smoothly, except for the initial problem of sedating Aman, he said.
Dr Venter described Aman’s reaction: "He was initially finding it difficult to open his eyes. He was feeling drowsy. Four hours later, he was up but still seemed very sleepy. He was much better the next morning."
The veterinary consultant with the Animal Medical Centre Group of Hospitals, waived his professional fee for the surgery.
He said that Aman would remain in his cage at least for the next few months.
"He could become aggressive. We are monitoring his behaviour and it may take a few months before Aman is let out.
"Sensation usually returns to the eye within a few hours. Improved vision is usually noticed within a few days, although complete healing may take several months," he said.
Dr Venter has carried out many such surgeries on elephants, lions, cheetahs, tigers, rhinoceroses and other wild animals during his 13 years of practice in South Africa, but this is the first time he has operated on a big ape.
"We will give him (Dr Venter) a weekly update," said Dr Amilan.
From New Straits Time
posted by eSeong at 4:57 AM
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