患有白內障的獅子、長頸鹿、老虎和熊等動物們不用再忍受眼前黑暗的痛苦了，德國一家公司最近專為它們研制出了一款隱形眼鏡。該公司獸醫部負責人表示，對動物來說，白內障就意味著失明。而由于動物壽命相對較短，失明會讓它們喪失更多的生活體驗。雖然此項定制服務及后續的檢查費用高達幾千英鎊，但對于飽受眼疾折磨的動物和它們的主人來說，這筆花費顯然是值得的。

A German company has produced contact lenses for animals, including lions, giraffes, tigers and bears, who suffer from cataracts.

A German company has produced contact lenses for animals, including lions, giraffes, tigers and bears, who suffer from cataracts.

S & V Technologies, founded by Bavarian chemist and entrepreneur Christine Kreiner, have created the acrylic intraocular lenses which are custom made to fit each animal.

"Cataracts generally means blindness for animals, unlike for humans," said the head of the company's veterinary division, Ingeborg Fromberg.

"And because animals have short lifespans, it means losing quality of life in a greater share of that life."

Since its launch in 2008, the firm has fielded calls from Sea World in San Diego (a sea lion who had trouble performing his tricks due to severely blurry vision), an Australia nature park (a blind kangaroo) and a Romanian zoo (a visually impaired lioness).

Special lenses that absorb UV rays can also be used to help horses afflicted with "head shaker syndrome", an excruciating and ultimately life-threatening ailment.

Although the expense of such an operation and subsequent check-ups can run into the thousands of pounds, the procedure is often worth it for animals that have gone blind – and for their owners.

S & V posted turnover of around ￡2m last year.

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(Agencies)

（英語點津 Helen 編輯）