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SALT LAKE CITY -- A Dutch zoo has made history by fitting an elephant with a contact lens, the first of its kind in Europe.
The 44-year-old Asian elephant scratched its cornea, probably with a branch, while playing with the other elephants, according to information released by Amsterdam's Artis Zoo.
The zoo reported that the elephant, called Win Thida, showed signs of extreme discomfort in her left eye, constantly squeezing it shut in pain. Anne-Marie Verbruggen, a veterinarian at the zoo, performed the hour-long surgery.
Win Thida trained with Verbruggen for weeks before the surgery, and had to be anesthetized in a standing position before the procedure because of the elephant's weight. Verbruggen said she had performed the procedure on horses in the past, but never on an elephant.
"The main difficulty was her height," she told the Irish Times. "Elephants can't lie down for long before their immense weight impairs their breathing, so I used a ladder to get close enough. It wasn't ideal, but it worked. She seemed happier straight away."
The lens will allow Win Thida's cornea to heal properly without danger of further injury, according to the zoo.
