Upstate Veterinary Specialties to Provide Free Eye Exams to Service Animals During May 2015
April 10th, 2015 | Posted in Procedures / Services
Throughout the month of May, Upstate Veterinary Specialties will be participating in the ACVO/StokesRx National Service Animal Eye Exam Event. For the past four years, UVS has participated in this philanthropic event, which provides free eye exams to service animals including guide, handicapped assistance, detection, military, search and rescue, and certified-current, registered therapy animals.
The goal of the ACVO/StokesRx National Service Animal Eye Exam Event is to provide as many free screening exams as possible to eligible Service Animals across the United States and Canada throughout the month of May. The National Service Animal Eye Exam Event, now in it’s eighth year, has provided free screening eye exams for more than 30,000 service animals, with over 7,000 service animals screened in 2014 alone.
This year’s event is sponsored by the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists® (ACVO®) and Stokes Pharmacy, a national, full-service compounding pharmacy specializing in the art and science of the custom formulation of prescription medicines for humans and animals. The event is also made possible by several generous industry sponsors, volunteer ophthalmologists and staff. Participating doctors across the country – including Upstate Veterinary Specialties’ ophthalmologist, Dr. Christa Corbett – volunteer their services, staff and facilities at no charge to participate in the National Service Animal Eye Exam event.
Dr. Christa Corbett, DVM, MS, DACVO has a vested interest in the National Service Animal Eye Exam program. Frankie, her 4-year-old Labrador, was originally trained as a service dog for Canine Companions for Independence and is now a registered and working therapy dog with Therapy Dog International. Dr. Corbett understands firsthand the important role service animals play in our society. She and the team of specialists at Upstate Veterinary Specialties are devoted to screening these selfless service animals thoroughly for any potential ocular disease.
How to Register for the 2015 National Service Animal Eye Exam Event:
To qualify, service animals must be “active working animals” that were certified by a formal training program or organization, or are currently enrolled in a formal training program. The certifying organization could be national, regional or local in nature. Owners/agents for the animal(s) must FIRST register the animal via an online registration form beginning April 1 at www.ACVOeyeexam.org. Registration ends April 30.
Once registered online, the owner/agent will receive a registration number and will be allowed access to a list of participating ophthalmologists in their area. Then, they may contact a specialist to schedule an appointment during the month of May 2015.
Upstate Veterinary Specialties requires that participants meet all event qualifications and provide the assigned registration number over the phone. Times may vary depending on the facility and are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, so clients should try to register and book appointments early by calling UVS at (518) 783-3198.
