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Ophthalmology - Clinic Information

The Animal Eye Clinic of Pittsburgh was founded in September 1997 by Dr. Lawrence Bagley and was previously located in Shaler Township, PA. In June 2008, the practice moved to 807 Camp Horne Road in Ohio Township, PA, and is now the ophthalmology department of Pittsburgh Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Center (PVSEC). PVSEC Ophthalmology provides your pets with quality ophthalmic medical and surgical eye care, with board-certified veterinary ophthalmologists performing all examinations and testing.

PVSEC Ophthalmology welcomes appointments on a referral-only basis. Your pet's primary care veterinarian must phone in, fax or mail a completed referral form (Word doc) to the ophthalmology office. Referral information should include: suspected ocular condition(s) and duration of problem, recent lab or imaging (X-ray, MRI, CT) results, information about other systemic medical problems if applicable, and current medications (ophthalmic and non-ophthalmic).

CERF (ophthalmic screening/certifying exams for breeders) examinations do not require a referral. Please contact PVSEC at 412-366-3400 to schedule a CERF appointment.

Office hours are 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday. CERF Exams are held from 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM on Saturdays approximately every 3-4 months. 

The next Saturday CERF Clinic will be held on Saturday, August 14, 2010.

During the month of May 2010, the doctors of the Animal Eye Clinic of Pittsburgh will participate in the National Service Dog Eye Exam program, sponsored by the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists and Merial.

After Hours Emergencies
After hours and weekend emergency situations will be handled by PVSEC's Emergency department (412-366-3400), which is located within the same building. The Emergency department is open 24-hours, 7-days a week, including all holidays. If the emergency doctor feels the ocular condition(s) merits the attention of a specialist, they will attempt to contact the PVSEC ophthalmologist on-call.

Appointments

Referral Appointment Information
After your veterinarian recommends a referral, we advise that you call our office to schedule a consultation and exam with one of the ophthalmologists. The doctors review every referral and recommend a time frame to guide the scheduling of the initial appointment. If your family veterinarian feels the current ocular condition cannot wait for the next available appointment, the PVSEC Ophthalmology department will see your pet on a work-in emergency basis (including an additional emergency fee). Emergency appointments are worked into the already full schedule and will be seen as promptly as possible.

Your pet's initial examination may include transillumination, slit lamp biomicroscopy, direct/indirect ophthalmoscopy, tonometry (ocular pressure readings), ocular surface staining and tear levels measurements. Additional diagnostic procedures may include electroretinography (ERG), gonioscopy, ocular ultrasonography, tear film break-up times, blood pressure measurements, neuro-ophthalmic testing, nasolacrimal duct cannulation and irrigation. Please bring all medications (eye drops, ointments, pills) with you to your pet's initial examination with the ophthalmologist to provide us with as much information as possible about your pet's condition.

Medical Treatment and Surgical Information
Following your pet's examination, PVSEC will discuss medical treatment options and surgical recommendations. Medical treatments may include topical (eye drops and/or ointments), local (subconjunctival or ocular injections), or systemic (oral or injectable medications) options. Surgery may require sedation and local anesthesia (without putting the patient completely under anesthesia), or general anesthesia.

If your pet requires surgery, PVSEC will provide you with a pre-surgical cost-estimate. A pre-surgical CBC/Serum Chemistry Panel (blood test) should be performed approximately 4-7 days prior to your pet's scheduled surgery. This test can be performed by PVSEC or by your primary care veterinarian. Results from tests performed by primary care veterinarians should be faxed to PVSEC prior to surgery.

Surgery Preparation

  • Many ophthalmic surgeries are completed on an outpatient basis.
  • Drop-off on the day of surgery is 7:45 AM - 8:30 AM.
  • For non-diabetic pets, please withhold food after 8:00 PM the night before. You do not need to withhold water.
  • For diabetic pets, do not feed your pet the morning of the surgery. Administer half the normal insulin dose. Please bring your pet's food and insulin to the office the day of surgery.
  • Bulldogs are an exception to the rule and should not be fed after 12:00 PM (noon) the day before surgery.

CERF Examination Information
CERF (Canine Eye Registry Foundation) Exams are ophthalmic screening tests for purebred dogs that identify hereditary ocular diseases (i.e. corneal dystrophy, cataracts, PRA). CERF Exams DO NOT require a referral, and are appropriate for show or field trial dogs, or in preparation for breeding. Appointments are available as part of a Saturday CERF Clinic, offered every 3-4 months from 8:00 AM - 11:30 AM, which is ideal for dogs and litters in a breeding program. Weekday CERF Exams are also available at an increased fee.  The next Saturday CERF Clinic will be held on Saturday, April 10, 2010.  

Fees

Consultations and appointments with PVSEC Ophthalmology require a deposit at the time of admission for treatment. Full payment will be due at the time of your pet's discharge. We welcome cash, check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express or Care Credit.