Jenny,
What you are describing sounds like a cataract. These can occur as a result
of injury (usually blunt trauma), inherited predisposition or senile
change.
Ultrasonic phacoemulsification is the treatment of choice. Robin Stanley
our local specialist veterinary opthalmologist has become quite skilled in
doing ostriches and cockatoos but I don't think he's done a Magpie yet. We
generally wouldn't consider surgery if only one eye was affected. It sounds
like the bird is getting around okay.
Pat
Pat Macwhirter BVSc (Hons), MA, FACVSc
Registered Specialist in Bird Medicine
Highbury Veterinary Clinic
128 Highbury Road, BURWOOD, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA
Ph: (03) 9808 9011 Fax: (03) 9888 7134
>My question is: I recently observed that one of the two magpies (who refuse
>to leave) seems to have a problem with one eye - on close observation, it
>appears as
>if there is a bluish film IN his pupil (not on the surface). We wonder if
>this could mean he has had it injured (in one of his many territorial
>tussles with the resident male of this area) and could be the start of his
>going blind. Does anyone know what this could indicate? If it is
>approaching blindness, what are his chances in the "real world" as far as
>navigation goes? (We are located in a fairly forested area, so many of his
>"territorials" involve ducking and weaving between the blackbutts).
>
>Jenny Bradford
>
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