A great horned owl whose sight was restored by UW-Madison veterinary ophthalmologists will be returned to the wild Friday, according to UW-Madison University Communications.
The owl was found December 1, 2003 by Wildlife of Wisconsin, weak and gaunt because cataracts limited its ability to hunt. Rather than simply removing the cataracts, the team of ophthalmologists implanted specially designed lenses to fully restore its vision.
UW-Madison veterinary ophthalmologist Christopher Murphy and ophthalmology residents Renee Carter and Katie Diehl removed the cataracts and implanted the lenses January 22.
The owl has made a full recovery and is back to full strength. It has been reintroduced to live prey, and Wildlife of Wisconsin believes it is ready to make the transition back to the wild.
It will be the first owl released into the wild after such a surgery. Researchers will track its progress via an attached radio transmitter.
