Cataracts and bone cancer-

Two dogs with Cataracts came into the practice on my first day of work experience.

Cataracts can occur in older dogs and can also be a result of trauma to the eye, but the most common cause is genetic. Some dogs may be born with cataracts, or develop them at a young age.  A dog with cataracts has cloudy lenses in the eyes. The lenses are used to refract light and focus it on the retina.  Having cataracts does not usually make the dog completely blind, but it does impair the vision, and can cause a glaucoma.

What is a glaucoma?

A glaucoma can result from severe cataracts, and can be very painful. It is a condition in which pressure is placed on the eye causing poor drainage of fluid from the eye. It may cause damage to the optic nerve if left untreated. Other symptoms include:

•         Rapid or persistent blinking of the eye
•      The eyeball sinking back into the eye socket
•         A red, irritated looking eye
•         Wide, dilated pupil and no response to light
•         Blindness

One cure for Cataracts is surgery. Cloudy lenses are replaced with synthetic lenses. This is normally an ideal solution. However, the cloudy lens could be obscuring a damaged retina. In this case, replacing the lens will not improve the eyesight as the dog will already be blind. It is suggested that before any surgery, the dog is brought to an optic specialist so that the retina can be looked at before the lens becomes too cloudy and obstructive. This could avoid unnecessary surgery.

The dog’s left eye is normal, the right has cataracts.