Elephant to get contact lenses

A short-sighted bull elephant named C'sar could become the world's first to receive contact lenses.

The African bull elephant that lives at North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro, US, has had vision problems for years that has sent him into depression.

Zookeepers spotted his eyes becoming cloudy and soon he was acting uninterested and sad. He lost 1,000 pounds in weight.

After cataract surgery, Dumbo cheered up and started regaining weight, however when the natural lenses from both of his eyes were removed the pachyderm was left farsighted.

Experts are currently deciding whether it would be worth fitting him with corrective lenses. Richard McMullen, assistant professor of veterinary ophthalmology at NC State, claimed that lenses could significantly improve C'sar's wellbeing. "In dogs, we have seen their quality of life increase," he said.

C'sar's eyes are three times the size of human eyes, about the size of raquet balls.

Via: PA

Image: rex