The American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists will offer free eye exams to service and working animals under a program that has benefited nearly 60,000 animals since 2008.
Registration for the annual ACVO/StokesRx National Service Animal Eye Exam event runs through April 30 at www.ACVOeyeexam.org. The screenings, provided by more than 300 board-certified veterinary ophthalmologists in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, will take place in May.
The offer is available to guide, handicapped assistance, detection, military, search and rescue, and current, registered therapy animals, the ACVO stated. Qualified horses, donkeys, alpacas and cats are eligible, too.
About 7,500 exams were conducted in 2017.
“The free eye exams provide service animal handlers with the comfort of knowing their animals are healthy,” said Katie Stoll, a trainer at Freedom Service Dogs. “Sight is an asset these dogs use each day to keep their handlers safe.”
Stokes Pharmacy, based in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, co-sponsors the event.