Collie Eye Defect is a genetic condition that sometimes develops in dogs and leads to issues with their eye health. Here, our South Florida veterinarians discuss the causes, signs, symptoms, and treatments of the collie eye defect, or collie eye, in dogs.
Collie Eye Defect
Collie eye defect (also referred to as collie eye anomaly) is a congenital condition of a dog's eye. The chromosomes that determine the development of the eyes are mutated so that the choroid is underdeveloped. This results in defects in many layers of the eye.
When this mutation occurs, it is always in both eyes. However, it might be more severe in one eye than the other.
Causes of Collie Eye in Dogs
The cause of collie eye is a defect in chromosome 37. It will only occur in animals that have a parent that carries this genetic mutation.
The parents may not be affected by the mutation (and may not have been diagnosed with the abnormality), but offspring can be affected, especially when both parents carry the mutation.
Signs of Collie Eye in Dogs
The most common sign of a collie eye defect is blindness. The degree of vision loss can vary, depending on how severely the defects have developed. Many dogs have normal vision, but vision loss or blindness can occur, especially if the dog's retinas have detached.
Other signs of collie eye defect can include:
- Microphthalmia (the eyeballs are noticeably smaller than normal)
- Enophthalmia (the eyeballs are abnormally sunken in their sockets)
- Anterior corneal stromal mineralization (mineralization of the cornea's connective tissue, displaying a cloud over the eyes)
- Retinal folds (two layers of the retina do not form together properly)
Diagnosing Collie Eye
It is recommended to have puppies screened for this anomaly, with examinations performed by a veterinary ophthalmologist between 6 and 8 weeks of age. Unfortunately, in some cases, a collie eye defect is not diagnosed until the dog's vision is affected. Collie eye may be diagnosed by your veterinarian by evaluating the retina, located at the back of the eye with the pupil dilated.
Retinal detachment is most common in the first year and can be prevented or minimized if it is caught early on.
Treating & Preventing Collie Eye
When a dog develops collie eye, it sadly cannot be reversed. Surgery or laser surgery may be performed on certain forms of the defect to help minimize the effects.
Since this anomaly is a genetically-based disease, it can only be prevented by not breeding dogs that carry the disease.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. Please make an appointment with your vet to accurately diagnose your pet's condition.