Although cataract surgery has a high success rate, the procedure may not be financially feasible for some owners, and some animals’ health contraindicates surgery. One option that claims to reduce the lens opacity is PetVisionPro, a nutraceutical eye drop that has been on the market for five years. The manufacturer, Ader Enterprises, says the product also works on lenticular sclerosis cases. Using the product means applying one to two drops per affected eye two to three times per day for up to 45 days. “We want to educate veterinarians that an alternative exists to cataract surgery,” says Alfredo Paredes, president of Ader Enterprises Inc. of San Diego, Calif. “The wholesale price ranges in price for $65 for two bottles and resale is $125-140 per package.” The product cannot be used by an animal also using steroid-based medication or on an animal with a diabetic or nuclear cataract. The company says the sooner a cataract is addressed, the higher the likelihood PetVisionPro will be able to help restore vision. “I have used it in three canine patients to date,” says Judith M. Shoemaker, DVM, of Always Helpful Veterinary Services in Nottingham, Pa. “I’ve used it for patients with cataracts when surgery wasn’t an option, dry eyes and chronic corneal edema. Owners say their pets seem more comfortable and a visible improvement has been noted in these three cases.” Dr. Shoemaker has used the product for about four months in her holistic practice, and says it is the only product she has found helpful in patients with cataracts. “Subjectively, the product is working well,” Shoemaker says. “It doesn’t have a very long shelf life, so I need to order it as needed for each client. But clients who have tried it say the product’s price is worth the benefits they’ve seen in their pets, so we’ll keep ordering it and seeing how it works for applicable patients.” The company says the ingredients are naturally-occurring amino acids produced by mammals at a high level to help combat cataract onset. Use continually for 30-45 days then not again for 6 months. Variables such as age and maturity of cataract play a role in time frame the product needs to be used to maximize effectiveness. “We market the product as a veterinary nutraceutical because we could get the product on the market faster and the ingredients are natural to mammals, so FDA approval isn’t required,” Paredes says. “This can be considered a supplement. The only unnatural product is the preservative.” The company performed a canine in-vivo field trial using 38 dogs/76 eyes – each eye is treated independently, and reports that PetVisionPro is an effective disaggregating agent of cross linked proteins into the canine eye lens. A prescription form of PetVisionPro is sold only through licensed veterinarians. A less potent over-the-counter version is available at pet stores. <HOME> Although cataract surgery has a high success rate, the procedure may not be financially feasible for some owners, and some animals’ health contraindicates surgery.cataract surgery, veterinary, PetVisionPro, veterinarians, cataracts
