Evaluation of the short‐ and long‐term complications and outcomes of phacoemulsification surgery in alpacas

Objective To describe the complications and determine the visual outcomes associated with phacoemulsification surgery in alpacas. Animals Five alpacas (nine operated eyes). Procedures Medical records of alpacas with a clinical diagnosis of cataracts that received elective phacoemulsification surgery at Cornell University over a 15 year period were reviewed. Results The mean (± standard deviation) age of the five operated alpacas was 104 days (±64 days). The cataracts were suspected to be congenital in all alpacas. Concurrent congenital ocular abnormalities were common in the operated eyes and included microphakia, persistent patent hyaloid arteries, and persistent patent tunica vasculosa lentis. No significant intraoperative complications were identified in any cases. In the immediate postoperative period, uveitis was mild‐to‐moderate in most operated eyes, ocular hypertension was not detected, and clinically significant corneal edema did not occur in any eyes. The mean (± standard deviation) duration of clinical follow‐up after surgery was 32 months (±25 months). A peri‐incisional corneal stromal ulcer associated with fibrinous uveitis was identified in a single eye during recheck examination 4 weeks postoperative that resolved with medical therapy. Long‐term complications included unilateral glaucoma in two alpacas that resulted in vision loss. On the final recheck ophthalmic examination, 78% (7 of 9) of operated eyes were visual and all operated alpacas had vision in at least one operated eye. Conclusions and clinical relevance In this series, the visual outcomes associated with elective phacoemulsification surgery in alpacas were good. Glaucoma was the most common vision‐threatening long‐term postoperative complication.