FAQ

What is a veterinary ophthalmologist? When would my pet need one?
Veterinary Ophthalmology is a specialization of veterinary medicine that addresses eye health, eye disease, and vision in animals. A veterinary ophthalmologist is involved in all phases of animal eye care, working with general practice veterinarians and other veterinary specialists to help diagnose and treat animal eye problems such as cataracts, glaucoma, vision loss, eye infections, eye cancers, corneal ulcers, dry eye problems, eyelid abnormalities, diseases of the retina, and genetic eye problems. Treatment options and recommendations are made to help return your pet’s health and improve their quality of life.

New Patients
» Do I need a referral from my regular veterinarian?
» What do I need to bring to an initial exam?
» How much does an exam cost?
» What forms of payment do you accept?
» Are there any discounts?
» How long will the exam take?
» Do I have to stay for the appointment?
» Can the doctors do farm calls?
» What are the tests performed in the exam room? What do they measure?

Surgery
» Do you do surgery the same day as the appointment?
» How much does surgery cost?
» Does my pet stay overnight?
» What are some local pet-friendly lodging options?
» How many rechecks are included with surgery?
» Do you offer payment plans?
» View our comprehensive Surgery Guide

Breeders
» At what age can a genetic eye screen be done?
» How are CERF exams for puppy litters scheduled?
» What do I need to bring for a CERF exam?

General
» Do dogs and cats see in color?
» Can dogs get macular degeneration?

New Patients

Do I need a referral from my regular veterinarian? ^
Veterinary Ophthalmology Services is a referral specialty practice. We work intimately with local veterinarians and serve as a resource for your veterinarian. Most routine eye problems can be diagnosed and treated successfully at your veterinarian’s office. We prefer that your pet be evaluated by his or her veterinarian for eye problems that may require our services and encourage referral when appropriate. However, a referral is not mandatory. Important historical information from your veterinarian is usually helpful in determining response to previous therapy and to guide our future treatment options. On some occasions, referral may not be necessary, as in eye screening examinations and CERF (Canine Eye Registration Foundation) exams.

What do I need to bring to an initial exam? ^
1. All medications and instructions that are currently being used.
2. Contact information for your regular veterinarian.
3. Payment method. (Payment is expected in full upon completion of the exam.)
4. Although not required, it is helpful to have a Referral Form (PDF) faxed over from your regular veterinarian. It should include recent blood work, if available, and information about chronic conditions.

How much does an exam cost? ^
This varies based on your pet’s condition. We will provide you with a written estimate for any procedure done outside of a standard ophthalmic examination before any work is performed. Please feel free to contact our office with specific questions.

What forms of payment do you accept? ^
We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, CareCredit, personal checks, and cash. Unfortunately, we cannot accept American Express. Payment is due in full upon services rendered.

Are there any discounts? ^
We do offer discounts to rescue groups who provide proof of their non-profit status.

How long will the exam take? ^
We try our best to see all of our appointments at the time scheduled, but like any doctor’s office, some patients may take longer than others. We are also open for emergency cases throughout the day, and while we give scheduled clients top priority, some of these may need to be seen immediately.

To be safe, set aside an hour to an hour and a half for initial exams and 30 minutes to an hour for follow up appointments.

Do I have to stay for the appointment? ^
Yes. All patients need to be attended by their owners or a designated guardian. We are not able to dayboard pets needing exams because our limited kennel space is reserved for patients undergoing surgery or diagnostic testing. If there is no way for you or someone else to bring your pet in for your appointment, please let us know and we’ll do what we can to make special arrangements.

Can the doctors do farm calls? ^
Unfortunately, our doctors are not able to perform farm calls under any circumstances. Equine and other large animal patients must be seen at a designated large animal clinic. Our ophthalmologists can see horses at Nolensville Veterinary Hospital, Tennessee Equine Hospital in Thompson’s Station, and Franklin Equine Services in Franklin by special arrangement with our office.

What are the tests performed in the exam room? What do they measure? ^
There are three common diagnostic tests our ophthalmologists perform in the exam room, none of which are painful:

Schirmer Tear Test (top) and intraocular pressure measurement. Image © VOS

Schirmer Tear Test: This test measures the amount of tears your pet’s eye is producing. A small strip of paper is placed beneath the eyelid, slightly irritating the eye and absorbing the tears that are generated in response. After a minute, we see how much of the paper strip becomes wet, measured in millimeters. A healthy animal should produce 15-25mm per minute.
Intraocular Pressure Check (Tonometry): Our ophthalmologists can use several different tonometry devices to measure the pressure of the fluid inside your pet’s eye. This test is performed by lightly touching the surface of the eye with the tip of the instrument. A reading is produced in mmHg. Healthy animal eyes generally have a pressure between 15-25mmHg.
Fluorescein stain: This test helps our ophthalmologists visualize ulcerations on the surface of the eye. A fluorescent green stain is put on the eye and then washed out. The stain lingers in bright green on any scratches, punctures, or other abnormalities so they can be easily seen with magnification.

Surgery

Do you do surgery the same day as the appointment? ^
No. Unless the condition is immediately life-threatening, we require an initial exam to assess your pet’s condition and discuss what his or her options might be. Doctors are not scheduled to perform surgeries on the same day they see outpatients unless under special circumstances. Surgery can often be scheduled within a week following your first appointment.

How much does surgery cost? ^
Any surgery is a commitment, just as it is in human medicine. The cost of surgery varies widely depending on the procedure, and complex ophthalmic surgeries can require many months of aftercare. We provide written estimates for any procedure we recommend after examining your pet. Please contact our office with further questions.

Does my pet stay overnight? ^
No. We do not keep any animals in our clinic overnight. Patients are dropped off between 7:00am and 7:30am the day of their surgery and are usually ready to be taken home by that afternoon.

What are some local pet-friendly lodging options? ^
If you are traveling to Nashville for surgery, there are several pet-friendly hotels within half a mile of our clinic.

La Quinta Inn on Sidco Drive in Nashville, (615) 834-6900
Red Roof Inn on Sidco Drive in Nashville, (615) 832-0093, toll free (800) 733-7663

How many rechecks are included with surgery? ^
The first post-operative exam and standard tests (pressure, tears, and staining) are included in the cost of surgery. Medications and other testing (such as blood glucose or laboratory tests) can vary, so they are charged on an as-needed basis during your follow ups. Additional rechecks after this first post-op exam are not included in the cost of surgery.

If you are using a CareCredit payment plan (see below) to cover the cost of your surgery and would like to lump future rechecks into this sum, please let us know and we can make the necessary arrangements.

Do you offer payment plans? ^
Our office partners with CareCredit to offer interest-free payment plans for up to 12 months. Authorization can be completed immediately over the phone.

» View our comprehensive Surgery Guide

Breeders

At what age can a genetic eye screen be done? ^
We prefer that a dog be at least 8 weeks old before the test is performed.

How are CERF exams for puppy litters scheduled? ^
We normally schedule our CERF appointments 2-5 weeks in advance depending on the number of dogs. It’s best to call as soon as possible in order to find a time that is convenient for your schedule.

What do I need to bring for a CERF exam? ^
1. Your pet’s Registered Name and Birth Date.
2. Permanent ID and/or Microchip Number
3. AKC Number.
4. For large litters, please bring additional help.
5. Payment method. (Payment is expected in full upon completion of the exam.)

General

Do dogs and cats see in color? ^
Recent studies suggest that domestic animals do see color, but not as wide a range of them as humans do. Domestic animals have fewer of the “cones” on the retina that allow humans to see the full color spectrum.

Dogs lack green cones, which makes it difficult for them to differentiate between red, green, and other colors that fall in the middle of this wavelength. Cats also have diminished color vision, but are able to distinguish between two colors if they differ greatly and if the objects are large.

Can dogs get macular degeneration? ^
Dogs lack a macula, which is a cone-rich region of the retina that allows humans and other primates to see fine detail. Macular degeneration is a common cause of vision loss in older adults, but we would look for other causes of vision loss in your pet.