It's never easy when your dog develops health issues due to age, but recognizing the signals early on can dramatically lessen the possibility of such problems becoming more severe. However, when it comes to the reasons that may be causing poor eyesight or loss of sight, we should be concerned about various ophthalmic diseases that can occur at any age in a dog's life. Furthermore, genetic blindness and other eye health problems can afflict all dog breeds.

Here are some of dogs' most frequent eye disorders and some helpful advice on how to treat them. Of course, if your dog's eye health issues are severe enough, you should seek the advice of a veterinary ophthalmologist. Before we go there, let's look at some of the problems that might lead to poor vision in dogs.

Pink Eye

Many dog owners are unaware that their pets might suffer from conjunctivitis, the medical term for pink eye, although it is one of dogs' most prevalent eye disorders. Symptoms of canine pink eye are similar to those of people and include:

  • Redness of the eyes
  • Inflammation of the eye and the soft tissue surrounding it
  • Eye discharge with gooey mucus

 

If your dog gets pink eye caused by a bacterial infection, it will need to see a veterinarian and be given antibiotic eye drops to treat the condition. Adenovirus, the same virus that causes pink eye in people, can also cause viral pink eye in dogs. Your veterinarian can walk you through the measures to relieve your dog's viral pink eye until it clears up. Still, you must take the necessary precautions to control this type of pink eye since it can spread to all family members, including people and children.

Pink eye can, however, be caused by an allergic reaction to pollen, cigarette smoke, or other irritants in some situations, necessitating the use of a saline eye wash to flush out the infection.

Corneal Damage

Dogs, like humans, get something in their eyes from time to time. Grass and dirt are significant reasons, particularly if your dog enjoys playing outside. When your dog tries to relieve irritation by scratching their eyes with their paws, they might cause corneal damage. The following are symptoms of a damaged cornea or a corneal ulcer in your dog:

  • Redness of the eyes
  • Excessive tears
  • pawing at the injured eye

 

If you feel your dog has damaged their cornea, take them to the veterinarian as soon as possible. Your veterinarian will be able to assess the eye injury and advise you on how to avoid further infection.

Eye Dryness

Dry eye in dogs, also known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca, occurs when the tear ducts do not produce adequate lubricant. This makes it harder for the canine eye to clear dust and dirt, usually having irritation. Dry eyes in dogs, if not treated appropriately, can cause scratches to various sections of the eye anatomy and even corneal ulcers.

The following symptoms may indicate that your dog is suffering from the canine dry eye:

  • Blinking excessively
  • Redness of the eyes
  • Squinting
  • rubbing the eyes

 

The remedy to dry eyes is frequently straightforward. If your dog exhibits any symptoms above, consult your veterinarian and ask if artificial tears or saline drops will assist.

Eyelid Lump

One of dogs' most noticeable eye diseases is growths or tumours on the eyelid. While these are usually harmless to your dog, a veterinarian should examine any lumps. Your veterinarian may perform a biopsy or a small needle aspirate to examine the tissue under a microscope and determine whether the lump is malignant and should be removed.

Glaucoma

When fluid in your dog's eyes does not drain properly, it can generate excessive pressure in, around, and behind the eye and ocular cavity, which can develop into canine glaucoma. If left untreated, this eye problem can cause pain and even blindness in your dog.

The following are some of the signs of glaucoma in dogs:

  • Tears in the eyes
  • Redness
  • Cloudiness over the pupil, iris, and cornea
  • pupils dilated
  • bulging eyes

 

The good news is that canine glaucoma symptoms can be relieved with an ophthalmic solution and other medications. In difficult situations, your veterinarian may recommend surgery for canine glaucoma, although the treatment is easy and the recovery time is brief.

In rare circumstances, your dog's usual veterinarian may suspect advanced glaucoma and refer you to a veterinary ophthalmologist. Don't be afraid to be optimistic. Remember that this type of veterinarian knows more about dog eyes than anybody else, which means a faster resolution and recovery for your pet.

Cataracts

Cataracts are a typical problem in older dogs. Depending on their severity, dog cataracts can impair your vision and potentially cause blindness. There are several symptoms of canine cataracts, including:

  • Cloudy vision
  • Inflammation of the eyes
  • Irritation of the eyes and the surrounding area
  • Adopting new habits as a result of vision loss

 

While some dog eye drugs can reduce inflammation in dogs with cataracts, only surgery can permanently solve the disease. Fortunately, most cataracts are minor and only have a minor impact on a dog's vision.