Children's Hospital Doctor Performs Surgery On Gorilla

Dr. Richard W. Hertle, of Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, traveled to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, to perform eye muscle surgery on a 3-year-old Western lowland gorilla named Dotty.

Hertle is a nationally recognized expert in pediatric eye disorders including amblyopia and nystagmus.

Dotty was born at the zoo with congenital strabismus, a lack of coordination between the eyes also known as "lazy eye."

When strabismus happens in children, the brain also begins to ignore the visual input from one eye, resulting in loss of vision in the non-preferred eye.

The surgery was completed successfully Thursday. Dotty is said to be doing well and is back at the zoo's gorilla building.

More Info: - Children's Hospital - Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

Previous Stories: June 13, 2007: Pittsburgh Zoo Monkey Undergoes Arthroscopic Surgery