Doug, an 8 year-old Labrador Mix was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, a condition that can have a significant impact on various aspects of a pet's health. In Doug's case, his diabetes had led to the development of mature cataracts in both of his eyes.

Doug's initial consultation with Dr. Becky Telle confirmed that the cause of his blindness was his mature cataracts.

To ensure that Doug was a suitable candidate for cataract surgery, the team performed pre-operative retinal testing. This included an ultrasound of his eye to ensure the integrity of his retina and an electroretinogram (ERG) to confirm that his retina was functioning properly. With Doug cleared for the procedure, Dr. Telle and the VEC team prepared for phacoemulsification, a specialized cataract surgery technique. In this routine surgical process, they addressed the cataracts in both of Doug's eyes. Synthetic intraocular lens implants were carefully placed to replace the clouded natural lenses. Doug's cataracts, which were still relatively new and soft, were removed with ease and without complications.

The placement of synthetic intraocular lenses helped restore Doug’s vision to close to what it had been prior to developing cataracts.