Orang utan gets eye op

THE world's first- ever cataract operation on an orang utan was conducted by ophthalmologist Dr Izak Venter and anaesthesiologist Dr Frik Stegmean, both from South Africa, at the Matang Wildlife Centre in Kuching.

Dr Venter, from the Medical Centre Group of Hospitals in South Africa, said the operation on the orang utan, named Aman, was to save the primate's eyesight. The three-hour operation yesterday was successful, he sad.

Aman's cataract problem was detected in March and Dr Venter had examined the primate's eyes and its health to see whether the operation was possible.

According to Dr Venter, the cataract operation using the pharcoemulsification procedure had been generally successful with patients with better eyesight.

He said animals responded differently after an operation with taking longer to regain their eyesight.

Aman, which was rescued from a market in Sarawak in 1989, had been kept at the Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre before being transferred to the Matang Wildlife Centre in December 2000. - Bernama

Source: Malay Mail newspaper

Pictures: Malay Mail newspaper, NST newspaper