Frequently Asked Questions for Common Eye Disorders in Pets:
Articles about Animal Eye Health
EYES: The Window To A Pet’s Soul
Pets have eye diseases too. Common signs of a problem include squinting, redness of the “white” of the eye, cloudiness of the eye’s transparent parts, excess tearing or mucus, and decreased vision. Cataracts, glaucoma, conjunctivitis and eye injuries are common in pets. These conditions can result from trauma, infection, inflammation, birth defects, internal diseases, inherited traits, or even cancer. Eye diseases can cause severe pain and decreased vision.
Irreversible damage can occur rapidly and with little warning. The pet’s primary veterinarian should be consulted at the first indication of any abnormality. Specific eye medications are available or a pet can be referred to a veterinary ophthalmologist for a specialty consultation.
A veterinary ophthalmologist is a doctor who has completed a residency (usually three years) and passed the examination to become “board certified” by the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ACVO). A veterinary ophthalmology practice is limited to examination and treatment of eye diseases in animals. Special examinations and diagnostic tests help the specialist determine the cause and best treatment for a pet with an eye problem. Various eye medications and microscopic eye surgery may be employed. The specialist works with the primary (or family) veterinarian and the caregiver to provide the best possible outcome for a pet’s eye condition.
Animal eye specialists also work with and advise breeders on diagnosis and elimination of inherited eye diseases. Any purebred pet or any animal intended for breeding should have a complete examination for inherited eye diseases (CERF exam).
Why Are My Pet's Eyes Cloudy?
Are your pet’s eyes cloudy? Several conditions create ‘cloudy eyes’ but ‘cataracts’ is a common cause. Cataracts can result from injury to the eye, other diseases of the eye, internal diseases of the pet (especially-diabetes) and aging changes. However, the most common cause among dogs is a genetic abnormality. Each breed of dog is different as to how cataracts are inherited, at what age, how quickly they develop, and how much they affect vision.
Cataracts affect the lens inside the eye which focuses an image onto the retina, so when opaque crystals form in the lens the image becomes distorted. The lens in a dog is much larger than a human lens and cataracts are usually much more advanced before vision is affected. As cataracts become worse, vision is significantly decreased.
What treatment is there for cataracts?
No medical treatment is available to keep cataracts from becoming worse or to ‘clear up’ a cataract. Eye drops are used to control the inflammation caused by the cataract or to open the pupil to increase vision.
Surgery is the only way to improve vision in a pet with cataracts. Whether or not removing a cataract would be helpful for an individual animal depends upon many factors. Differences between human eyes and dogs’ eyes need to be considered. Inflammation is usually more significant in the dog’s eye and must be well controlled to achieve good results from cataract surgery. In general, cataract surgery in a dog is more involved and requires more medical care than in a human.
However, good vision is obtained in approximately 90-95% of patients after cataract surgery.
