Most ophthalmologists can expect a varied caseload. Few can claim cataract surgery on juvenile gorillas, a blind snow owl or a codfish anaesthetised in ketamine-laced seawater.
At RANZCO NZ 2026 Paediatric ophthalmologist Dr Jan-Tjeerd de Faber, former head of paediatric ophthalmology and strabismus at The Rotterdam Eye Hospital and long-time ophthalmic consultant to Rotterdam Zoo, shared stories from his unusual parallel career as a zoo ophthalmic consultant. He described, among other things, the surprising overlap between children’s eyecare and animal ophthalmology. He described, among other things, the surprising overlap between children’s eyecare and animal ophthalmology.
“There are a lot of similarities between the zoo and paediatric ophthalmology,” he said. “Most of the patients I have in the zoo are preverbal and a lot of children are as well.”
His work, all undertaken under veterinary supervision, has included consultations and surgery across a remarkable range of species. One memorable case involved a young gorilla with cataracts. To operate, the mother first had to be anaesthetised so her breastfeeding infant could be safely removed. After surgery, however, things became tense.
“We gave the monkey back to the mother and the mother smashed him,” he said, explaining the infant no longer smelled familiar after human handling and anaesthesia. Nature intervened. “Luckily her breasts were so swollen that she took him in just to be self-relieved.” The surgery was ultimately deemed a success, with vision improving to “counting bananas at six feet”.
