Pets rely heavily on their vision to interact with the world, and maintaining optimal eye health is essential. While routine eye conditions can be managed by your primary veterinarian, more complex issues require the expertise of a veterinary ophthalmologist.
Common Eye Problems and Treatments:
Cataracts: A cataract is when the lens of the eye becomes opaque, affecting the patient’s vision, and can ultimately lead to blindness. Surgical removal of cataracts is necessary to treat a cataract and has a high success rate. After surgery, most families will see their pets return to normal activity.
Conjunctival and Corneal Grafts: When damage or disease has injured the cornea to the point of risk of rupture or perforation, conjunctival or corneal grafting is performed. A conjunctival graft uses the pink-white tissue around the eye to “patch” the defect. A corneal graft uses clear corneal tissue to “patch” the defect. The best type of tissue graft is decided based on the individual patient and the severity of the corneal damage. The graft is then sutured to the cornea, which not only provides healing factors to the corneal defect but also provides structural support. Surgical grafting has a high success rate at saving the eye.
Entropion: Entropion is when the eyelid rolls inward, causing irritation and inflammation of the eye. Surgical repair of entropion involves restructuring skin around the eyes, which allows normal alignment and function of the eyelid.
Eyelid Mass Removal: Eyelid masses are a common problem for many patients, but the removal of these masses can be difficult due to their proximity to the eye and the limited tissue surrounding the eye. Masses can be removed using surgical excision or cryosurgery (freezing of the tissue). In certain cases, skin grafting may also be required to close the incision or allow for normal eyelid movement post-operatively.
Dry Eye (Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca): This is a disorder created by a lack of adequate tear production and can cause ocular discharge, conjunctivitis, corneal ulcers, and even blindness. The most common causes of dry eye are immune-mediated disorders that affect the tear gland, injury of the tear gland itself, or injury of the nerves in the face and/or middle ear.
Spontaneous Chronic Corneal Epithelial Defects (i.e. Inolden or Boxer Ulcers): Spontaneous Chronic Corneal Epithelial Defects, or SCCEDs, are indolent or non-healing ulcers that can form spontaneously or when the cornea is scratched. Because of the unhealthy, underlying corneal tissue, the body is unable to heal the affected area properly. These ulcers are most found in older dogs and Boxers, thus the nickname “Boxer ulcer.” Grid keratotomy and diamond burr debridement stimulate the surrounding corneal tissue to promote healing. These procedures do not require general anesthesia. Though these procedures may need to be repeated, most non-healing ulcers will resolve this therapy.
Cherry Eye (Prolapsed gland of the third eyelid): When the tear gland of your dog’s third eyelid prolapses out of place, it appears as a reddish mass in the corner of the eye, called “cherry eye.” This condition damages the gland and, if left untreated, can affect tear production and create corneal inflammation. “Cherry eye” is often a breed-related condition, and typically surgical repair is necessary.
