Elephants wear contact lenses

A 45-year-old Asian elephant in the Netherlands became the first elephant in Europe to wear contact lenses.

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Win Thida is the oldest elephant in Artis zoo in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Its eyes were heavily built in a fight with another elephant, the Telegraph reported.

Experts have anesthetized Win Thida and kept it in a standing position to put contact lenses in his eyes in the hope that glasses will prevent the risk of eye infection. The process of putting contact lenses into elephant eyes takes place in less than an hour.

'The zoo called me and said that Win Thida's eyes hurt and water came out from his eyes,' said Anne-Marie Verbruggen, a veterinarian.

Contact lenses are put into the eyes of Win Thida to
prevent infection. (Photo: Telegraph)

Verbruggen says that large volumes of elephants are the biggest obstacle in the process of putting contact lenses in their eyes. Elephants cannot lie too long because their large bodies interfere with breathing when they lie down.

'So I used a ladder to reach the elephant's eye. It is not the perfect solution, but it still works' , Verbruggen said.

Before coming to a zoo in Arnham, the Netherlands in 1989 Win Thida used to work in Myanmar. It was taken to Amsterdam in 2004 and became a children's favorite.