The ophthalmology team here at Links Vets have considerable experience with diagnosing and treating all types of ophthalmic conditions, including entropion and eyelid reconstruction and parotid duct transposition.

The team are committed to providing a prompt and efficient referral service and are here to answer any questions you may have, so please do not hesitate to contact us on 01368 860461 or at info@linksvet.co.uk.

We caught up with Victoria Macklin BVMS PGCertSAOphthal MRCVS who provided us with an overview of her role here at Links Vets.

Why did you choose to become a Vet?

My Gran was a nurse, and as a child, my sister and I used to sneak away and look at the gory photos in her medical textbooks. It’s a cliché, but I was obsessed with animals so I always knew I wanted to work with animals in some capacity. I started work experience at a local vet practice when I was 13 years old sweeping the floors and cleaning kennels, and from then on, I was hooked. 

What made you choose to pursue ophthalmology?

Throughout High School and University, I had every intention of becoming a horse vet but that didn’t last. My ophthalmology lecturer at University was fabulous – the slides that he showed were so visually captivating and he helped us develop a really strong foundation of basic knowledge. As a newly qualified Vet, I quickly gained confidence dealing with eye cases as I had such good background teaching. I realised that I wanted to focus on small animals, and that I wanted to develop my knowledge of ophthalmology further. I love that ophthalmology combines medicine and surgery, and that you must have a real eye for detail. 

What does a typical day look like for you?

I am based at our Dunbar surgery. In the morning we admit the surgery patients and see some appointments (a mixture of general practice and eye cases) before operating. We work our way through our surgery list and get patients ready for afternoon discharge appointments before breaking for lunch. If the weather allows, I love to pop down to the beach for some fresh sea air in my lunch break, before returning for an afternoon of appointments. Throughout the day I am also responsible for checking repeat prescriptions, calling owners with laboratory results and answering advice requests from other Veterinary Surgeons. 

How many cases do you typically see?

I generally see about 15 appointments every day and have two or three surgery patients in. 

Do you have a memorable case or patient that you can share with us?

I have been qualified for 19 years now, so I have seen a lot in my career! The most memorable patients tend not to be the ‘exciting’ or ‘interesting’ cases, but those that I have dealt with for a long time and built a good rapport with the owners. That said, I will never forget the spaniel that had a 10cm piece of wood impaled within his orbit, narrowly missing his eye. 

What other services do you work with?

People are often surprised that ophthalmology crosses over with most disciplines, and subtle changes within the eye can often be the first clue that another disease process is happening elsewhere in the body. 

What are the most common cases that you see?

With the rise of popularity of the flatter-faced breeds such as Pugs and Frenchie’s, I see a lot of surface ocular disease such as corneal ulcers. In cats, we deal with a lot of herpes virus cases.

Is there anything else that you want people to know about the service that you offer?

I’m a genuine ophthalmology geek and I’m always happy to see eye cases, or chat to other Veterinary surgeons about interesting or challenging cases. I’ve also been a vet for a very long time now, so I am happy to work with owners where there are barriers to make treatment more challenging; I’m willing to think outside the box to get the best outcome for the pet and their owner.

To make a referral, simply fill in our online form.