Meet the Team – Ophthalmology Service at Upstate Veterinary Specialties

October 30th, 2015 | Posted in General, Meet the UVS Team

The Ophthalmology service at Upstate Veterinary Specialties in Latham is a fast-paced department committed to improving the vision of pets in the Capital District and beyond.  In order to maintain an efficient and personal client experience that is also positive for patients, the ophthalmology group is a dedicated team devoted to these goals.  New and existing clients initially see Lara or another Client Relations Specialist who facilitates the check-in process for ophthalmology clients.  The Client Relations Specialist will then process new patient paperwork, as well as schedule appropriate recheck visits, procedures and surgeries.   Next a member of the Ophthalmology team, either Technicians Katee or Mark or Veterinary Assistant Sally will escort the pet and pet-parent to an ophthalmology exam room where they measure the patient’s vital signs and briefly discuss the issues which prompted the owner to seek a consultation with Veterinary Ophthalmologist Dr. Christa Corbett.  Once Dr. Corbett examines the patient’s eyes she discusses her evaluation with the owner and suggests a course of action which may include further testing and additional medical or surgical intervention.  Dr. Corbett will then reach out to the primary veterinarian to discuss her treatment recommendations.

The ophthalmology team will see 15-20 patients a day and perform three to five surgeries per week.  The UVS Ophthalmology team shares a combined 25+ years of experience working in animal healthcare.  Dr. Corbett had always wanted to be a veterinarian and shares stories of excitedly being the person in her family who brought family pets to their veterinarian as soon as she could drive.  Shortly thereafter her first after-school job was working as a kennel assistant at an animal hospital. Following college she attended veterinary school and then completed an internship and three year residency to specialize in ophthalmology.  Licensed veterinary technician Katee worked for years in veterinary medicine before working at Upstate Veterinary Specialties as an ophthalmology technician for the past 5+ years.  Veterinary technician Mark has also worked in the ophthalmology department for 5+ years, although previously worked in wildlife biology.  As with the rest of the UVS team they occasionally fill in with other UVS departments when needed.  Sally the ophthalmology veterinary assistant has worked at veterinary hospitals since 2008 and is the newest member of the UVS ophthalmology team.

When asked to comment about their experience while working with UVS the ophthalmology team members all appreciate the cohesive atmosphere.  Another frequent comment is how amazing it is to observe when a non-visual pet who is suddenly able to see again.

Capital District pets and their owners have great healthcare resources at Upstate Veterinary Specialties, including the region’s only veterinary ophthalmologist.

If your pet is experiencing vision loss, eye trauma or other ocular symptoms talk to your family veterinarian about a referral to our Ophthalmologist, Dr. Corbett.

If you are a referring veterinarian and have a patient who could benefit from an ophthalmic consultation, please contact us at (518)783-3198. We have recently made our online referral available for your convenience.