Enucleation conversations: A lecture preview

Benjamin Bergstrom, DVM, MS, DACVO, owner of The Eye Vets—a veterinary ophthalmology practice in Nashville, Tennessee—shares insights into his upcoming lecture “There’s No Eye in Enucleation: A Review of Treatment Options for Blind, Painful Eyes,” which will be presented at the Fetch dvm360 Conference in Nashville, May 30-31. In this interview, Bergstrom previews topics he will cover during his session. He also highlights 1 key takeaway that he hopes attendees will leave with, emphasizing the compassion and sensitivity that is needed when discussing eye removal with clients.

Below is the transcript of the video, which has been lightly edited for clarity:

Benjamin Bergstrom, DVM, MS, DACVO: I think one of the most important parts of this presentation is, it's a stressful time to start talking with pet owners about what's going to happen to an eye after we've lost the battle with diseases like glaucoma. And for a lot of pet owners, that's kind of the first time that they've experienced a major medical issue and the loss of an eye. When you try to conceptualize it as a person, you kind of put yourself in the pets position and it's hard.

And so, I just want to talk through eye removal in and of itself—how to come to the conclusion that it's time for it, how to make the pet owner comfortable with it. And then there are other options that we can provide to the owner if eye removal is just not something that they're interested in. But it's a tricky conversation, and addressing it in a way that is going to make the pet owner comfortable with the decision and, you know, ultimately provide better quality of life for the pet, better comfort for the pet is the most important thing.