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Joshua J. Broadwater, DVM, DACVO
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists
Born and raised in the small coal mining town of Lonaconing, Md., Dr. Joshua Broadwater has been hooked on treating and curing diseases and helping relieve the suffering of animals – since he got his first microscope at age 12.
That passion eventually took on a particular focus – caring for animals’ eyes. Following a residency at the Animal Eye Specialty Clinic in Florida, Dr. Broadwater worked at Lion Country Safari, SeaWorld and Gumbo Limbo Environmental Complex, where he performed surgery to remove tumors from turtles’ eyes.
Broadwater is now an ophthalmologist at CARE, where he has a special interest in cornea disease and surgery, cataract surgery and glaucoma surgery. “I went into ophthalmology,” he says, “because there’s something so special about relieving the suffering of a dog with a corneal ulcer, or controlling a painful condition such as glaucoma, or removing cataracts from a dog that was blind, and suddenly have them see the world again.”
See Dr. Broadwater's Video
EDUCATION:
- Bachelor of Science, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine
- Internship in medicine-surgery, Florida Veterinary Specialists
- Ophthalmology Residency, Animal Eye Specialty Clinics
- Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists
RESEARCH & AWARDS:
- Published numerous scientific articles in peer review journals, including Veterinary Ophthalmology and American Journal of Veterinary Research
- Currently researching a newly recognized inflammatory condition in the eyes of dogs called Asymmetric Uveitis
PETS:
Cooper, a mix-breed female terrier, is his “shotgun rider” anywhere their travels take them.
Recent Blog Posts from Dr. Broadwater
Human ophthalmologists call glaucoma “the silent thief of sight,” because it sneaks up on patients who may not know they have it. The same thing can happen to pets, who can’t communicate even when they’re aware something’s wrong. That’s the nature of pet glaucoma....
This month marks the ninth anniversary of the most advanced emergency and specialty care for pets in the Charlotte region, CARE. Since 2015, CARE has been the vision of three veterinary specialists: surgeon Laura Dvorak, neurologist/neurosurgeon Amy Fauber, and...
Veteran pet owners know to check an animal’s skin for lumps or abscesses, monitor its eating and digestive habits and even observe its breathing and motor skills at rest and play. But there’s a tiny area many of us forget to examine: the eyelids. Eyelid disorders can...
The eyes are “the windows to the soul,” but they are also windows to the rest of the body. Annual eye exams in humans can reveal symptoms of undetected conditions such as diabetes, mini-strokes and high blood pressure. The same is true for our canine and feline...
Anybody with children knows red or pink eyes could mean conjunctivitis. This is a common bacterial infection treated with antibiotics or OTC remedies and isolation. But swelling and redness in the eyes of your dog – or, much less frequently, your cat – may mean...
We all want our pets to see as well as possible because it adds to their quality of life. However, there are dogs whose eyesight, along with training and dedication, directly contributes to the quality of life of people. Service animals allow individuals with a...
Cataracts, a cloudy area in the lens of the eye, commonly causes blindness in dogs (and occasionally in cats). When functioning properly, the lens is the “M&M shaped” clear structure inside of the eye that focuses light on the retina. Causes of Cataracts Similar...
Glaucoma, a disease of the optic nerve, causes high pressure inside the eye. In dogs, glaucoma can develop extremely quickly and cause permanent vision loss if left untreated. Dogs find this condition quite painful. There are two types of glaucoma – primary and...
Did you know that dry eye, a common problem in people, also ails animals? It is, in fact, commonly diagnosed in dogs. Also known as KCS (Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca), dry eye occurs when the lacrimal gland and the third eyelid gland do not function properly to produce...
Pets fill so many people’s hearts with love and joy, while asking for very little in return. Even more amazingly, certain animals are able to provide services for people in need and, in turn, many people depend on service dogs for their daily routine. What Service...