Veterinary ophthalmologists at Cummings Veterinary Medical Center < link >have started using corneal crosslinking to help spare animals’ eyes or avoid surgery. Corneal crosslinking was developed to treat a condition called keratoconus in people which animals don’t get. Veterinary ophthalmologists have found the crosslinking approach valuable in treating dogs and horses with “melting” ulcers.
Source: Tufts Now, September 23, 2019. Link. Animals undergoing crosslinking usually only require sedation, although some are briefly put under general anesthesia, particularly if there’s damaged tissue that needs to be removed. This aspect of crosslinking can especially improve care for eye problems in equine patients.