Ahmed Valve Placement in a Middle-Aged Spayed Beagle Mix
A 6-year-old female spayed Beagle mixed dog presented to the Cornell University Ophthlmology Service on April 23, 2014 for an initial evaluation of suspected uveitis and a glaucoma. Upon presentation, the patient did not display any signs of ocular pain and was visual in both eyes. At this time, the patient was diagnosed with bilateral primary open-angle glaucoma. Medical therapy was initiated, and Ahmed valve implantation was recommended. On June 9, 2014, an Ahmed valve was successfully implanted in the right eye. Follow-up examinations revealed that the intraocular pressure in the un-operated eye remained highly medication dependent, and pressure spikes were not well controlled. For these reasons, Ahmed valve implantation was recommended in the left eye as well and was pursued on July 21, 2014. The patient remained visual and comfortable, with normotensive intraocular pressures in both eyes over the next 6 weeks.