Eye Surgery for Gorilla Past Its Primate
Over-the-hill Miami ape gets cataract surgery
By BRIAN HAMACHER
Updated 1:45 PM EST, Fri, Oct 2, 2009
Cataract surgery for a 42-year-old female may seem a bit early, but Miami resident Josephine is no ordinary 42-year-old.
Josephine is, in fact, a gorilla, and when she goes under the knife today at Miami MetroZoo, she'll be one of less than a dozen gorillas in the world to get the state-of-the-art procedure performed.
Both of Josephine's eyes have worsened to the point where she is nearly blind, only able to see light and dark and shadows.
"At 42, Josephine is considered a senior citizen in gorilla society where life expectancy is rarely beyond 50 and usually less," said MetroZoo communications director Ron Magill, in a statement.
Using a procedure common for humans, Dr. Frank Spektor, a medical ophthalmologist, will cut out the cataracts and implant new lenses.
Josephine will have to be knocked out by surgeons before the procedure so that she won't go ape when the doctors cut into her eyes.
Josephine should be back to normal, pounding her chest and peeling bananas within a few days.
First Published: Oct 2, 2009 12:18 PM EST
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