It was a truly mammoth undertaking, but Duchess the blind elephant will finally be able to see again after receiving what was quite possibly the world's largest ever cataract operation.

给大象做白内障手术，这是项浩大工程……但是这台估计是全世界型的手术最终让盲象“女爵”重见光明了。

The 43-year-old Asian elephant, who only has the one eye left, had been able to do little more than distinguish between light and dark for years. But thanks to surgeons at Paignton Zoo, Devon, she should soon be able to see clearly once again.

“女爵”是头43岁高龄的亚洲象，多年来，她靠仅剩的一只眼睛来稍稍分清黑夜与白天。感谢德文郡的佩顿动物园的兽医们，她终于很快要重见光明了。

The huge creature was put under by anaesthetists David Burton and Jo Jago for around three hours, while the delicate operation was carried out by consultant opthamologist Jim Carter and assistant John Lewis. After she came round Duchess seemed to be fine and was tenderly rubbing the sore eye with her trunk.

麻醉医生David Burton和Jo Jago将它麻醉了三小时，之后眼科顾问医生Jim Carter和助手John Lewis 开始了这台精细的手术。术后当“女爵”清醒后，她看上去状态不错，并且用鼻子轻轻地揉了揉她酸胀的眼睛。

The zoo’s curator of mammals, Neil Bemment, said although Duchess was groggy after the operation, the signs were looking good.

动物园哺乳动物馆馆长Neil Bemment说道，尽管术后女爵看上去摇摇晃晃、东倒西歪的，但生命体征看上去还不错。

He said: 'She’s up and about but like anyone who’s had a major operation it will take some time for her to fully recover.

他说：“术后她站起来，并在周围走了走。不过和任何做过手术的人一样，她需要一点时间来complete痊愈。”

'She’s been making her usual bellowing sounds which is a good sign. But it will be some time before we are able to tell if we’ve saved her sight.'

“她发出了以前经常发的那种低吼声，这是个好的征兆。不过我们得再等些时间才能知道手术是否成功恢复了它的视觉。”

He added she may have another ten years of life if things go well.

他还说道，如果不出意外，女爵还能再活十年。

It’s not the first time Duchess has had groundbreaking surgery. She was the first elephant to have an eye removed last year because of glaucoma.

这不是女爵次接受开创性的手术了。她是只因为青光眼而接受手术的大象，去年她接受眼球摘除的手术。

Because of the cataract in her left eye she was to all intents and purposes blind although she can probably still tell the difference between light and dark.

因为左眼的白内障，女爵几乎算是盲了，仅仅能分辨出黑夜和白天。

Zoo staff have been caring for Duchess’s eyesight for some time and she has been trained to accept eye-drops and other medication.

动物园的工作人员因她的视力问题照料了她一段时间，并且训练她接受眼药水治疗和其他的疗法。

She has been on her own since her long-time companion, Gay, a female Asian elephant, was euthanised in March 2010 due to ill health.

自从2010年3月，她的好伙伴，一只叫Gay的母亚洲象因病而被施行安乐死后，女爵就一直形单影只地生活着。

Mr Bemment said: 'In spite of this, she seems to still be in good spirits and as keen on her food as always.'She receives a lot of attention from her keepers.

Bemment先生说道：“尽管如此，她看上去精神状态挺不错，而且胃口也很好，同往常一样。” 她的管理员们对她倾注了很多心血。

'Duchess’s welfare and quality of life are our primary concern.

“女爵的幸福和生活质量是我们的首要关注点。”

'Elephants have an acute sense of smell and terrific hearing, so she is well aware of things happening around her even if she cannot actually see them.'

“大象拥有敏锐的嗅觉和极其精细的听觉，所以即使看不到，她也能对周边发生的事一清二楚。”