Dutch Elephant Gets Fitted With A Giant Contact Lens
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An Asian elephant has become the first pachyderm in Europe to be fitted with a stylish new eye lens. 44-year old Win-Thida who resides in Amsterdam's Artis Zoo, injured her left eye when she was poked by a fellow elephant during a scuffle, on December 26th.
Soon after, the zookeepers noticed that the elephant's left eye was beginning to stream and she was having a hard time keeping it open. Upon closer examination, they realized that poor Win-Thida's cornea had been scratched and that if something was not done soon, she could lose her vision. They tried to administer several creams and painkillers, but nothing worked.
Meanwhile, every time the elephant blinked, its cornea got increasingly worse. Concerned, they summoned expert veterinarian Anne-Marie Verbruggen. Though the doctor had fitted horses with eye lens, she had no experience with elephants. The first challenge was to administer a mild local anesthesia, so that Win-Thida would not feel any pain. However, unlike other animals, elephants cannot lie down for long periods of time, because their huge weight impacts their breathing. Therefore, the doctor had to inject the anesthesia, while the pachyderm was upright.
Once she knew the eye had been numbed, Anne-Marie immediately got to work. Perched on a ladder, she quickly pried open Win-Thida's injured eye and fitted the giant lens, which was eight times the size worn by humans. The whole procedure took about an hour.
According to the zoo officials, the elephant looked like she was feeling better almost immediately. As days have progressed, she is finding it a lot easier to open and close her eye and the experts are hoping that the protective lens will slide out by itself in a few weeks as the cornea starts to heal - if not, Dr. Anne-Marie will just have to climb the ladder and yank it out!
Resources: telegraph.co,uk, vancoversun.com,news.yahoo.com, animaltracks.today.msnbc.msn.com
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324 Comments
- lilyabout 12 yearscool looking
- 35087about 12 yearsThat seems like it would hurt to take them out and put them back in elephant don't need contacts that's mean how do the people that made the things know that elephants want contacts?
- Jennaabout 12 yearsPoor Little Elephant!My favourite ANIMAL is a elephant!!!!
- nadajaabout 12 yearsThat is so sad!:( Pore elephant!:(
- EMMAabout 12 yearsPOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEE ELEPHANT THE ONE UNDER ME IS ME JUST SO U KNOW
- EMMAabout 12 yearsI HOPE SHE OR HE GET TO BE FEELING BETTER I LOVE ELEPHANTS I AM ONLY EIGHT IN A HALF POOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR ELEPHANT I WISH IT COULD GET GLASSES
- pinkabout 12 yearsthe video is in DUTCH!!!!!
- Starlink 2about 12 yearsPoor elephant!!!!:( I mean I know it has rough skin on the outside, but tht doesnt mean it is tough in the inside... I hope she feels better!!!! :)
- pickles38about 12 yearswhy don't he just get glasses? I mean really.
- Adhaajbfyaabout 12 yearsPoor elpheny