Services

• Complete eye examination and diagnosis
• Specialised equipment used includes direct ophthalmoscope, slit lamp biomicroscope to give a magnified view, binocular indirect ophthalmoscope to examine the back of the eye, and TonoVet® tonometer to measure pressure in the eye.
• Special tests used may include a fluorescein dye test (to check for damage to the cornea and tear flow), a Schirmer tear test to check for adequate tear production and Blood Pressure testing.
• Treatment planning which may be medical or surgical depending on the condition.
• Surgical equipment includes an operating microscope, and very fine surgical instruments and sutures which allow optimal tissue apposition and minimizes scarring.
• Medical and surgical treatments for eyelid conditions and tumours, entropion, cherry eye, corneal ulcers and microsurgery, dry eye, uveitis, glaucoma, lens and retinal conditions and more are offered. Lens/cataract surgery is not available.
• Intrascleral prosthetics are available for some cases that require eye removal.
• Preanaesthetic blood and urine tests are also available.

Eye Examinations – What to Expect

Initial examinations usually take 30 – 40 minutes. If you are travelling from outside of Queenstown, we will try to schedule any eye surgery that is required for the same day as your consultation.

Jos will examine your pet, discuss any concerns that you may have and discuss a plan for the course of treatment. An estimate of the cost for your pet’s treatment will be provided after the examination.

If you need to cancel or postpone your appointment, please give us at least 24 hours’ notice.

In case an anaesthetic is required for any procedures, please withhold your pet’s food after 9pm the evening before your appointment. Water does not need to be witheld.

What to Bring:

• The name of your usual veterinarian and veterinary practice.
• Any recent medical records including recent laboratory tests should be emailed by your vet.
• Any medications that your pet may be receiving

If your pet is diabetic or has a kidney problem, please call to discuss for specific fasting instructions. Any regular medications should be continued unless otherwise advised and please bring these with you.

If necessary we can communicate with your referring veterinarian regarding your pet’s care.

If your pet requires a general anaesthetic, we require a pre-anaesthetic blood panel which can be run by us on the day of the procedure or provided by your veterinarian. If you can bring in a fresh urine sample (only a teaspoon of urine is required), this is also useful for pre-anaesthetic evaluation.

On the day of surgery, it is vital that we are able to contact you by phone. We may need to discuss any additional findings during your pet’s procedure, and require your consent to proceed with any additional surgery that may be necessary.

If you have any concerns, please phone 0274172932.

Anaesthesia will be necessary if any surgery is required.

There is always a small element of risk associated with any anaesthetic. To help prevent complications, we recommend pre-anaesthetic blood testing to rule out any underlying kidney or liver conditions. Each patient undergoing an anaesthetic receives a thorough physical examination, and modern anaesthetic agents and techniques are used to reduce these anaesthetic risks.

Pre-anaesthetic medications (for sedation and pain control) are given prior to anaesthesia. All patients have an intravenous catheter inserted during anaesthesia to enable administration of fluids. During anaesthesia and recovery, a nurse continuously monitors your pet’s blood pressure, heart rate, blood oxygenation, respiration and temperature. Body temperature is maintained in anaesthetised patients using warming blankets and intravenous fluid warmers.

Most patients will recover from anaesthesia within minutes of completion of the procedure and patients are usually discharged from the clinic on the same day between 4pm and 6pm. A specific discharge time will be given to you on the day.

Estimates

We will try to give you as accurate an estimate of costs as possible before surgery. Please understand that this is an estimate only, and the final cost may vary slightly depending on circumstances at the time of surgery.

The estimated fee includes pre-operative tests where necessary, anaesthesia, theatre fees, surgical fees, disposable theatre items, drugs, and hospitalisation. The first recheck after surgery is usually included in the estimate, unless medical management is required. After this time, a standard revisit fee will usually apply. Further drugs prescribed at rechecks after surgery will also be at additional cost. In the unusual event of complications, we will always attempt to keep any associated additional costs as low as possible.

Please feel free to discuss any further questions you may have about eye surgery with us.