First, vet Jim Carter made two incisions in the cornea to access the lens. Next he used a machine with a needle that vibrates at an ultrasonic frequency to break up and suck out the diseased tissue. But to operate on one of the largest land animals on Earth, Duchess’s nine-person team needed elephant-sized equipment. Carter ordered custom tools just for the procedure, including a six-inch-long speculum to hold open Duchess’s eyelids and a cataract-removal machine with a needle three times the length of a standard one. After two and a half hours and a few stitches, the procedure was complete. The zoo reports that Duchess is in good health.
