I wanted to send in a follow-up/update on Thor's eye problems.  I know there
isn't a lot of info out there (it seems) on ferret eye diseases, so I wanted
to share our situation.
 
For a quick recap - late October '96, Thor was diagnosed with an anterior
lens luxation in his right eye.  Basically, the fibers holding the lens in
place had dissolved, and the lens slid forward against the cornea.  His
symptoms had been watery eye, squinting, bluish tint, acting very lethargic.
On November 1st, he had the eye removed.  He recovered very well from the
surgery, and went back 2 weeks later for stitch removal.
 
That very night, I noticed that his left eye was showing the exact same
symptoms.  :^( I brought him back the next day, and he was diagnosed with
the exact same condition.  I was told we could try and do a lens removal,
but there was a low probability of success.  The alternative was to remove
the remaining eye.  I hadn't been very happy with where I was taking him, so
I begged my way into another veterinary opthamologist with an excellent
reputation (who hadn't been able to fit him in last time).  It took a week
before I could get Thor in to be seen, and in the meantime the vet put him
on Timolol drops.  I noticed during the week that his eye seemed to be
somewhat better.
 
When he was finally seen, the vet said that somehow, the lens had shifted to
the back of the eye, and was no longer up against the cornea causing all the
problems.  He recommended putting him on two different drops, AKarpine (2%
pilocarpine) to keep the pupil small and AKpred for any inflammation.  If
the lens stays where it is, Thor will not have to have it removed, since
it's not causing any pain or other problems (like secondary glaucoma).
 
Several months later (now), and Thor seems to be doing just fine.  He
tolerates (usually) the drops twice a day, and so far we've been very lucky
that the lens has stayed put.  He gets around just fine (we're not sure just
how much sight he has!).
 
He will go back for another check in April.  Unfortunately, it looks like
he'll probably be on eye drops the rest of his life.  Lucky for us he's an
excellent patient - and we tell him all the time how much he's loved and how
special our little one-eye'd guy is!
 
Amy (and the butt bros - Odin, Thor, & Loki)
[Posted in FML issue 1816]