Cataract surgery in an African lion with anterior lens luxation

Abstract

Mature cataract had caused change in appearance<br><br>of the eye and complete blindness in an aged African lion.<br><br>Early surgical removal of the lens is the only effective<br><br>treatment for mature cataract, and if surgery is not<br><br>performed soon after maturation of the cataract, total<br><br>blindness may remain after surgery. The present report<br><br>describes a mature cataract of unknown cause with anterior<br><br>lens luxation in a 20-year-old African lion treated by<br><br>intracapsular extraction of the lens. On clinical examina-<br><br>tion, immature cataract of the right eye and mature cataract<br><br>with anterior lens luxation of left eye were diagnosed. The<br><br>entire lens, including anterior and posterior capsules, was<br><br>removed by routine surgical techniques described for such a<br><br>procedure. The lion suffered self-trauma of the eye 48 h<br><br>after surgery, and three sutures were disrupted. Antibiotic<br><br>drops and Cefazolin were administrated with extreme<br><br>difficulty for 1 week. The lion was saved, but keratitis<br><br>developed in the left eye.