Though vision loss is somewhat uncommon for dogs, it can happen as a result of aging, disease, hereditary factors, or other causes. Our South Florida vets list signs and causes of vision loss in dogs, and describe how it can be managed, and what treatment options are available for some cases, including eye surgery.
Acute & Gradual Vision Loss in Dogs
Like people, dogs can become blind in one or both eyes due to disease, injury, or condition. Dogs can also rely on their other senses to compensate for lost eyesight and navigate their environment. Losing their vision will not necessarily mean that their quality of life is significantly impacted, especially if the vision los occurs gradually.
Blindness can happen quickly (acutely) or gradually (chronically). Dogs with gradually deteriorating vision may seem unaffected if their living environment and surroundings remain unchanged, since they already know how each room in your home is laid out.
Conversely, dogs with sudden vision loss may appear depressed or become distressed. They will need some time to process and adapt to the changes they are going through. Remember that any sudden onset of vision loss in dogs is a veterinary emergency that requires immediate attention. Early detection and diagnosis will allow you and your vet the best opportunity to restore your dog's vision and identify any serious neurological complications, risks, or illnesses.
After your dog has received emergency care, you may be referred to a veterinary ophthalmologist for followup care and treatment, which may include eye surgery to treat the injury, illness, or condition.
Types of Vision Loss in Dogs
While how long it takes for a dog to become blind can vary based on numerous factors, there are also different types of vision loss. Blindness can be partial (difficulty seeing) or complete. A dog can be blind in one eye (unilateral) or both eyes (bilateral).
What are the signs of vision loss in dogs?
Here are a few signs that your dog may be losing their vision:
- Eyes becoming cloudy
- Dazed, confused, easily startled
- Squinting or pawing at the face
- Puffy, swollen, inflamed, or red eyes
- Less interested in playing
- Not making eye contact with you as much as he used to
- Pupils don't dilate when in a dark room or constrict when exposed to bright light
- Bumping into objects
- Behavioral changes that indicate anxiety or hesitation in new places
- Unwillingness to walk up or down stairs, or jump onto furniture
What causes vision loss in dogs?
Genetic or hereditary factors, disease, injury, or aging can all contribute to a dog's vision loss.
Blindness can also occur as a solitary symptom, or in conjunction with other signs and symptoms, depending gon the underlying cause. Diseases like liver or kidney disorders, heart disease, or other systemic conditions can negatively affect your dog's vision.
Factors that can cause or contribute to vision loss in dogs include:
Age
A dog's natural aging process can sometimes be accompanied by vision loss ranging from minor issues with vision to complete blindness. Cataracts often become an issue for older dogs and may develop on their own or simultaneously with other conditions or health issues, such as diabetes or high blood pressure.
Senior dogs also have a higher risk of developing glaucoma than younger dogs. Our vets recommend having your dog's eyesight checked frequently during their senior years – as often as every six to nine months.
Cataracts
This serious eye condition causes cloudiness (opacity) in the eye's lens. If the opacity covers a significant part of the lens, light will not be able to reach the retina fully and your dog may experience challenges seeing. While surgery may prevent blindness, early intervention is critical to this outcome.
Chronic Dry Eye
Decreased or inadequate tear production can cause dry eye syndrome in dogs. Tears are vital to the health, lubrication, and comfort of a dog's eyes. They also contain white blood cells that fight infection, mucus, antibacterial proteins, and other enzymes that help prevent irritation and infection, and keep debris from entering the eye.
The lacrimal and third eyelid glands are responsible for producing the watery layer of tears. When a dog has dry eye syndrome, these glands contribute little or nothing to the tears, even though the glands responsible for the mucin and lipid layers still function. This typically causes the eyes to become dry and fill with mucus and goo, and can lead to vision impairment and blindness.
Diabetes
Diabetes is rising in older dogs. Older dogs of large breeds, dogs with poor nutritions, and obese dogs have a higher risk of becoming diabetic. Many of these dogs will develop cataracts, which can lead to full or partial blindness.
Glaucoma
A painful condition that involves elevated pressure in the eye, glaucoma feels like a migraine headache. Unmanaged glaucoma can quickly cause irreversible damage to the eye's optic nerve and retina, leading to blindness.
While treatment is available, early diagnosis and effective management and treatment are critical to ensuring your dog has the best possible chance of a positive prognosis. You may notice green or yellow discharge coming from your dog's eyes, their eyes may be bloodshot or their pupils may be dilated. Your pooch may also be slow to react to bright light.
Hypertension
Systemic hypertension (high blood pressure) can cause many eye problems for dogs, including retinal detachment, which may lead to sudden blindness. Symptoms can also include bleeding inside the globe of the eye, and persistently dilated pupils.
Eye Injury
Severe injury or trauma to the eye can cause a dog to lose their sight. Eye swelling, eye rupture, eye displacement (proptosis), bleeding inside the eye, and lens dislocation are all forms of eye trauma that can cause blindness in dogs.
Even an injury that originates as a minor problem, like a corneal abrasion, can progress can cause eventual blindness if infection or inflammation develops.
Pannus
This immune-mediated condition affects the cornea or the clear part of the eye, causing it to become cloudy, hazy, or pigmented over time. Both eyes are often affected. In most cases, changes in the third eyelid also occur.
While not usually painful, pannus in dogs can cause visible corneal and third eyelid lesions, as well as eye discharge and redness. Pannus does not usually affect vision unless the condition is severe in both eyes. However, left untreated, there may be severe opacification of the cornea along with destruction of the third eyelid.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRFA) is a painless condition that can cause the retina to deteriorate, leading to blindness in both eyes. It is inherited and develops at a slower rate, allowing your dog to gradually adjust to losing their sight.
Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration Syndrome
Like PRFA, Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration Syndrome (SARDS) causes deterioration of the retina, resulting in blindness in both eyes. However, with this condition the onset of blindness occurs much more quickly and can lead to total blindness within weeks – or even days. This is much more difficult for your pooch as it allows them less time to adjust to sight loss.
Tumors
Eye tumors or growths are not uncommon in dogs. Changes to eye tissue can develop as a primary tumor, but can also be a secondary result of spreading tumor cells that originated in another part of the body. Tumors of the eye can also be both benign (non-cancerous) and malignant (cancerous).
Viral infection, lesions, chronic ocular inflammation, the spread of metastatic disease or recurring dry eye can factor into the development of tumors.
Untreated Eye Infections
Several types of eye infections can cause discomfort, redness, or sensitivity to light in your canine companion. They can even contribute to vision loss if left untreated. These infections can include pink eye (conjunctivitis), inflammation of the cornea, and uveitis (an inflammation of one or more of the eye's inner structures such as the iris, choroid, or ciliary body).
These infections may have causes ranging from parasitic infections to trauma, scratches or cuts on the cornea, irritants or allergens, bacteria (canine brucellosis, leptospirosis, canine ehrlichiosis, or Lyme disease) and viruses (distemper, herpes, hepatitis, or canine influenza).
How Do I Know if My Dog is at Risk for Vision Loss?
Though blindness is uncommon in dogs, some breeds are more predisposed to developing conditions that lead to vision loss and blindness than others.
How is Vision Loss in Dogs Treated?
Conditions that cause vision loss for dogs typically do not go away on their own. Early intervention is key when it comes to helping your dog cope with gradual or sudden onset vision loss. A veterinary ophthalmologist can diagnose the condition, and potentially recommend surgery to treat the condition, as well as ways to help your dog to vision loss and provide recommendations for managing it.
In addition to the medical concerns that accompany vision loss, this is often an emotional time for pet owners, especially if your dog's vision problems have occurred suddenly. We can also provide suggestions to help you and your pet cope with vision loss or blindness.
What Can I Do to Help My Dog With Vision Loss?
While it is not always possible to restore vision, there are some things you can do to help your dog adapt to vision loss, including:
- Keeping their living environment consistent and unchanged
- Leasing your dog while outside, and not leaving them unattended
- Helping them develop their other senses, including by teaching new commands that do not rely on vision
- Using baby gates and other barriers, especially at the tops of stairs, to prevent injuries and falls
How Can I Prevent My Dog From Losing His Vision?
Vision loss can be a painful, scary experience for your dog. Though loss of vision and blindness aren't usually life-threatening themselves, the diseases that cause them sometimes are. By stopping diseases from advancing, you can significantly improve your dog's health and longevity.
We encourage pet owners to visit their primary vet for their annual exams and make an appointment with their vet or veterinary opthalmologist at the first sign of vision loss or other eye problems, as early detection and treatment of eye conditions can alleviate pain, help you and your dog cope with any existing vision loss, and, in some cases, prevent or minimize long-term ocular damage.
Also, be vigilant about protecting your pet's eyes from infections, injuries, and trauma. Keeping your dog physically active and at a healthy weight as they grow older will also help prevent conditions such as diabetes, which can contribute to blindness.
Taking all of these actions can make a significant difference in your dog's life as they mature and enter their golden years.
Veterinary Eye Surgery & Ophthalmology at Animal Eye Guys
Dogs can develop minor or severe eye conditions that may cause pain and discomfort, and impact their vision. While some of these are age-related, others may be injuries, diseases, or genetic problems.
No matter the issue, a veterinarian or veterinary ophthalmologist should promptly assess any signs of discomfort or loss of sight. Early detection, diagnosis, and treatment are important to ensuring the best possible outcome for your dog's health.
Depending on the cause and unique circumstances surrounding your dog's vision loss, one of our board-certified veterinary ophthalmologists may recommend eye (ocular) surgery to treat the condition or disease, or to repair an injury sustained through trauma.
We understand that the idea of bringing your pet in for surgery can be daunting. Please rest assured that we recommend surgery only when it is in your four-legged companion's best interests.
If your dog is experiencing signs of symptoms of vision loss or an eye disease, request an appointment at any of our clinic's locations in South Florida.
Note: Animal Eye Guys specializes in treating eye conditions and illnesses. The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical or behavioral advice regarding pets. Please make an appointment with your vet for an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition.