Ophthalmologist group offers free eye exams for service dogs

Starting Monday, May 3, and continuing through the week, members of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists are providing free eye exams to thousands of service dogs in hopes of preserving these helpful canines' sight for as long as possible.

This is the second year in a row the ACVO has spearheaded National Service Dog Eye Exam Day, with more than 150 board-certified veterinary ophthalmologists providing the free exams. To qualify, dogs must be “working dogs” certified through a formal training organization or currently enrolled in a training program.

“Our hope is that by checking these animals' vision, we'll be able to help a large number of dogs better assist their human friends,” says Stacee Daniel, executive director of the ACVO.

Dog owners and handlers can register their animals for an exam through a registration form at ACVOeyeexam.org. Once registered, they can locate a participating ophthalmologist in their area to schedule an appointment.

This event is sponsored by Hill's Pet Nutrition, Optigen, and Kong Veterinary Products.