The eye is unforgiving. A condition that would be a minor inconvenience elsewhere on the body can cost vision permanently within a day.
The useful skill is knowing which is which.
Go to a vet immediately
A painful eye. Signs are squinting, holding the eye closed, excessive tearing, pawing or rubbing at the face, and light sensitivity. Eye pain is severe and dogs hide it poorly.
A cloudy or blue-looking cornea, especially with redness and pain.
A dilated pupil that does not respond to light, particularly with a red eye — this can be glaucoma, where pressure builds inside the eye. Glaucoma can destroy vision within 24 to 48 hours, and it is agonisingly painful.
Sudden blindness — bumping into furniture, hesitating at steps, dilated pupils.
Any trauma to the eye.
A proptosed eye — the eyeball displaced forward out of the socket, most common in brachycephalic breeds after even minor head trauma. An absolute emergency.
A visible foreign body. Do not attempt to remove it.
Chemical exposure. Flush with copious amounts of clean water or sterile saline for at least fifteen minutes, then go.
Anything in a brachycephalic breed. Pugs, French Bulldogs, Shih Tzus and Boxers have shallow orbits and prominent eyes, and corneal ulcers in these breeds can progress to perforation remarkably quickly.
Book an appointment within a day or two
- Persistent discharge, particularly if thick, yellow or green
- Redness without obvious pain
- A change in the appearance of one eye compared with the other
- A visible lump on the eyelid
- Persistent tear staining that is new
- Cloudiness developing gradually in an older dog
- A third eyelid that is more visible than usual
Conditions worth knowing
Corneal ulcer. A defect in the surface of the cornea, from trauma, a scratch, dry eye, or an eyelash growing inwards. Painful, and it needs treating properly — an ulcer treated with the wrong drops can deteriorate fast.
Never use a steroid eye drop on an eye you have not had examined. Steroids delay healing of an ulcer and can allow it to perforate. This is the single most important reason not to reach for leftover drops from a previous problem.
Conjunctivitis. Inflammation of the membrane around the eye, from infection, allergy, irritation or dry eye. Common and usually straightforward, but it is a symptom rather than a diagnosis.
Dry eye (keratoconjunctivitis sicca). Reduced tear production, often immune-mediated. Produces thick sticky discharge, redness, and a dull cornea, and it causes recurrent ulcers if untreated. Common in Cavaliers, West Highland Whites, Cocker Spaniels, Bulldogs and Shih Tzus. Usually lifelong treatment, which works well.
Glaucoma. Raised pressure inside the eye. Red eye, cloudy cornea, dilated unresponsive pupil, severe pain, often an enlarged eyeball. An emergency, and predisposed breeds include Cocker Spaniels, Basset Hounds, Shar Peis and several terriers.
Cataract. Opacity of the lens, appearing white and dense. Causes visual impairment and can be removed surgically. Diabetic dogs frequently develop cataracts rapidly.
Nuclear sclerosis. Frequently confused with cataract. A normal ageing change giving a blue-grey haze in the lens, with relatively little effect on vision. Your vet can distinguish them easily; owners usually cannot.
Cherry eye. Prolapse of the gland of the third eyelid, appearing as a red mass in the inner corner. Common in Bulldogs, Cocker Spaniels and Beagles. Needs surgical repositioning — the gland should be tacked back rather than removed, since removing it causes dry eye later.
Entropion. The eyelid rolls inward so lashes rub the cornea. Painful, causes ulcers, and needs surgical correction. Common in Shar Peis, Chows, Bulldogs and Labradors.
Progressive retinal atrophy. An inherited degeneration causing gradual blindness, usually starting with night vision. No treatment, but dogs adapt remarkably well. DNA tests exist for many breeds.
What you can do at home
Routine care:
- Wipe discharge from the corners with a clean damp cotton pad, one per eye, wiping away from the eye
- Keep facial hair trimmed away from the eyes in long-coated breeds
- Never let a dog hang their head out of a car window — grit and insects at speed cause corneal injuries
- Use a harness rather than a collar in breeds prone to glaucoma; pressure on the neck raises intraocular pressure
- Check the eyes weekly, comparing one to the other
What not to do:
- Do not use human eye drops. Many contain vasoconstrictors or steroids
- Do not use leftover drops from a previous condition
- Do not attempt to remove a foreign body
- Do not delay. Eye conditions deteriorate on a timescale of hours
Living with a blind dog
Dogs cope with blindness far better than owners expect, because vision was never their primary sense.
- Keep the furniture where it is. Dogs map a house and navigate from memory
- Use scent and texture markers — a different mat at the top of the stairs, a scented marker by the door
- Gate the stairs
- Talk before you touch, so they are not startled
- Keep the routine consistent
- Use voice cues on walks — “step up”, “slow”, “left”
- A harness with a handle gives gentle guidance
- Halo devices — a padded ring on a harness that contacts obstacles before the head — help some dogs
A dog who loses vision gradually often adapts before the owner notices anything is wrong, which is both reassuring and a reason to have older dogs’ eyes checked at routine appointments.
