A rescued wild tiger had its inflamed eye removed by vets in Thailand.

The two-year-old male Indochina tiger named Balago underwent surgery at the Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary on March 13 to remove his blind left eye which had swollen to twice its normal size.

Footage shows vets conducting a health check-up on the sedated predator as he was laid out on a table before the operation.

Pimchanok Songmongkol, a senior vet at the sanctuary, said the cloudy eye was filled with 'fluid and lumps' and may have been causing the tiger acute pain.

She said: 'We decided to remove the affected eye because if left untreated, it may affect Balago's other functioning eye.'

Balago was given antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs following the operation.

The excised eyeball as well as blood samples were sent to Mahidol University's Faculty of Veterinary Science and the Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation for examination.

Balago was first spotted roaming the Khlong Lan National Park in Kamphaeng Phet province last month. He had been injured from a leg trap.

The tiger was rescued and taken to the Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Breeding Centre in February 19 for rehabilitation.

During initial check-ups, he was found to have an injured front left paw and a blind left eye that had a scratch on the cornea.

Senior vet Pimchanok Songmongkol said: 'Balago will be kept at the clinic for close observation. He is receiving anti-inflammatory tablets and antibiotics.

'We hope that he will be released into the wild when he had recovered.'

There are approximately 148 to 189 mature tigers in Thailand, with signs that the population is increasing in Thailand's Western Forest Complex.