OFA Companion Animal Eye Registry Exams
This information is intended for dog breeders only and is not applicable to pets with existing eye conditions or emergencies. The exam provides information solely for breeding purposes for dogs presumed to have normal eye function. If your pet does not meet these criteria, please visit our New Patients page.
Please note that we do not schedule time for evaluating medical issues during OFA screenings. If your pet has a medical condition and needs a CAER exam form for breeding purposes, please inform us prior to the exam. If the CAER form is filled out in conjunction with a medical exam, we offer a discounted rate for the form, provided we have prior notice. Otherwise, if you require a full examination and tonometry for your pet’s medical condition, additional charges of $205 plus $65 will apply, and prior approval is necessary, or we may need to reschedule.
Appointment Details:
Appointments are required. OFA appointments are not considered urgent and are scheduled approximately 2-3 months in advance.
Availability: We reserve a limited number of appointment slots on Mondays and Thursdays only for OFA exams to accommodate patients with urgent eye problems. Once these slots are filled, the day will be considered “full for OFA appointments.”
Cost: The cost is $135 per dog/per puppy.
Required Information for the Triplicate Form:
We will provide a triplicate form for you to complete for each pet. Please have the following information readily available:
- Call name
- Registered name
- Microchip/Tattoo Number (If applicable)
- Registration Number (AKC or other)
- Date of Birth
- Owner name, phone, address, and email
OFA Appointment Policy:
We charge based on the number of dogs you schedule ($135 per dog) at the time the appointment is made, as our scheduling is based on the number of dogs you plan to bring. If you need to change the number of dogs, we require at least 24 hours’ notice. Otherwise, you will be charged based on your original reservation. For example, if you schedule four dogs but arrive with fewer, you will still be charged for four dogs unless you provide 24 hours’ notice of the change.
About the OFA CAER Exam:
The OFA Companion Animal Eye Registry exam (formerly known as CERF) consists of indirect ophthalmoscopy and slit lamp biomicroscopy and is reserved for dogs with presumably healthy eyes. It is an eye screening exam for genetic eye abnormalities for breeding purposes, not a comprehensive ocular health examination. For instance, OFA Eye Certification exams do not include measuring tear production, applying dye to the eyes for detecting corneal ulcers, or measuring intraocular pressures. Procedures such as gonioscopy, tonometry, Schirmer tear tests, electroretinography, and ultrasonography are not routinely performed. Therefore, conditions like pigmentary uveitis, goniodysgenesis, glaucoma, keratoconjunctivitis sicca (dry eye), early lens luxation/subluxation, or some early cases of progressive retinal atrophy might not be detected without further testing and do not qualify for this type of exam. If a serious ocular health problem (such as glaucoma) is suspected during the eye certification exam, the examiner will recommend a more comprehensive ocular examination. The diagnoses obtained during an OFA eye exam refer only to the observable phenotype (clinical appearance) of an animal’s eyes. Thus, it is possible for a clinically normal animal to be a carrier (abnormal genotype) of genetic abnormalities.
National Service Animal Eye Exam Event
