Pain management and intraocular pressure monitoring following phacoemulsification

Acataract is a white opacity of the lens which obscures vision by blocking light from reaching the cornea (Moore, 2011) (Figure 1). Cataracts are often hereditary but can also be congenital, developmental, or secondary to metabolic disease (Moore, 2011). Diabetes mellitus is a common cause of cataracts in dogs (Hyde, 2011). An increased glucose concentration in the lens, converts to sorbitol, which acts as an osmotic agent to draw water into the lens, resulting in loss of transparency and cataract formation (Woodham-Davies, 2019). Bilateral cataracts will develop in 50–70% of dogs in the first year following diagnosis of diabetes mellitus regardless of how well the disease is managed (Woodham-Davies, 2019). Cataracts cannot be medically managed, therefore surgical removal of the cataract is indicated (Woodham-Davies, 2019). A number of surgical techniques exist such as extracapsular lens extraction, intracapsular lens extraction and phacoemulsification (Ramani et al, 2013). Case presentation is a deciding factor on which surgical technique is to be used, for example a cataract causing secondary lens luxation to the anterior chamber would likely require an intracapsular lens extraction. Phacoemulsification is the most commonly used method and generally is considered gold standard by veterinary ophthalmologists (Ramani et al, 2013).