A Week With ... Veterinary Ophthalmologist, Craig Irving

A Week WItH ...

... Veterinary Ophthalmologist, Craig Irving

leANNe NORMAN, BVsc

It would be fair to say I can be prone to letting advertised opportunities slip by unnoticed without stopping to take a hard look at them. Busy family and working life will do that to you. I have seen the Dechra/CAV ‘A week with…’ scholarship advertised in the past, read the articles from past recipients and even had friends report back about their amazing weeks. Even with these prompts, it hadn’t struck me to apply, that was until this year. two days before applications closed, I gave myself a good talking to, dusted off a rather outdated c.v. (an eye opener in itself; I have been working here how long? And did I really graduate that long ago?) and emailed off an application with crossed fingers but not really expecting much to come of it. Several weeks later I was excited to get a phone call to let me know my application was successful and the wheels were in motion for what turned out to be a great week for learning and skill development at Eyevet Services. Eyevet Services appealed to me, being a long-time enthusiast of all thing’s “eyes”. Monday was a crisp and clear morning as I arrived at the totally Vets Clinic in Feilding, home of Eyevet Services for the first day of my weeklong stint with Craig Irving and Petra Price. After taking care of housekeeping and health and safety requirements I was straight into observing a superficial keratectomy of an indolent ulcer and temporary tarsorrhaphy. It was a great opportunity to question Petra on initial management of this condition and how we manage them in clinical practice, something familiar and sometimes frustrating to many of us.

Contact: leanne.n@vetora.nz learning to use the slit lamp took a bit of practice but by the end of the week I was able to look at different parts of the eye in much more detail.[photo courtesy of the author]

this was followed up with a full morning of consults where I got plenty of opportunity to practice use of the indirect ophthalmoscope, slit lamp and tonometer, as well as tools I am more familiar with such as Schirmer tear tests, fluorescein staining and retro illumination. throughout the week it became more and more apparent that setting yourself up for success in an ophthalmic examination involves light and magnification. Although it is not something most of us are ever going to be lucky enough to have access to in general practice, using the slit lamp was a revelation (after I eventually got the hang of it) and seeing details of the cornea and lens up close made me more aware of the limitations we can have with of our examination techniques in general practice. After a quick bite to eat Petra took me under her wing and we worked our way through some slide shows recognising different ophthalmic conditions

and answering questions related to signalment, pathology and treatment. I found these sessions, which we did most afternoons generated great discussion, triggered my memory on cases I had seen in the past and was an ideal opportunity for me to question, learn and further my understanding of cases I am seeing in day-to-day clinical work. tuesday morning saw Craig and I heading down to Plimmerton for a morning of consultations there. the highlight was the opportunity to examine a Poodle-cross with advanced progressive retinal atrophy and early secondary cataracts. I was able to appreciate the attenuated vasculature and hyperreflectivity of the fundus and the early cataracts forming on the posterior lens that I could see with the slit lamp. Also, of great importance was stopping at the German bakery for a ‘cruffin’ on the way home, an experienced not to be missed when you are next in Plimmerton!

Across the week I was able to observe multiple surgeries. Nearly all the surgeries are done with magnification. Head loupes were used for lid and adnexal work and a free-standing operating microscope for anything corneal or intraocular. I was honoured to be present for the grand unveiling of the new phaco-emulsification unit and watched as a mature cataract obscuring vision was fragmented and removed through the smallest of areas. I carefully watched several lid surgeries picking up tips and techniques to use in my clinical work. Petra really stressed the importance of symmetry and deliberate placement of sutures, suture material and pattern selection to ensure exact alignment and maximising results, something I have really taken on board. overall, it was a very useful and worthwhile experience. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole week. I learnt a vast number of new skills in diagnostics, treatment and surgical tips and tricks that I am now putting into practise back in the Waikato. I would absolutely recommend that anyone with an interest in increasing their skills and interest in one of the offered areas to apply for this grant when next offered. You won’t be disappointed. thank you to CAV and Dechra for the opportunity to make this happen, Craig, Petra and Vanessa for their time and patience and the team at totally Vets in Feilding for the morning teas and friendly welcome. Also thank you to Vetora for their continued support for continuing education. l

this article was written as part of the requirements for receiving the Dechra/CAV "A week with ..." scholarship.