Columbus, OH

Here in Columbus, OH we pride ourselves on the quality of our zoo. If you have the opportunity to go I can promise that you will find it is a world-class experience. While you are there, stop by the gorilla enclosure and see if you can catch a glimpse of Dotty, the adorable little (for now at least) female gorilla that is set to undergo surgery today to correct a lazy eye.

If left untreated, the brain might lose the sensory input from the eye. In a zoo setting, that in itself would cause serious problems; in the wild, it might easily lead to much worse.

The surgeon called in to correct the eye is Dr. Richard Hertle, chief of the division of pediatric ophthalmology at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Because the gorilla’s eye and the human eye are so similar, this seems to be the most logical choice for correcting the problem. With this surgery, Dr. Hertle will surgically correct the muscles that are causing the lazy eye to not work correctly in conjunction with the good eye. The results should be almost immediate and Dotty should go on to lead a normal life.

Good luck Dotty!

To read more:
The Columbus Dispatch
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
The Columbus Zoo

Photo of Dotty via the Columbus Zoo website.

Columbus, Ohio, OH, Columbus Zoo, gorilla, Dotty, eye surgery, lazy eye

Columbus, OH
Columbus Zoo
Dotty gorilla