What this means
Dogs adapt remarkably to failing sight: they memorise the layout of the home and lean on smell and hearing, so an owner may notice the change only when the surroundings change: furniture is moved, you visit somewhere new, or it gets dark. Then the dog looks confused, cautious or frightened.
Loss of vision can come from several different causes: clouding of the lens, damage to the retina, raised pressure inside the eye, or inborn eye problems that are typical of some breeds. Some progress slowly, others quickly and painfully. Raised eye pressure is particularly urgent, as it can cause severe pain and permanent damage.
Note when you first noticed the change, whether your dog sees better by day or at dusk, whether the eyes look cloudy, have wide pupils or are red, whether your dog squints or rubs the eye, and whether your dog bumps into things. Simple observation helps too: does your dog follow a moving object, and does your dog avoid obstacles?
Possible causes
These are things that can cause this sign. It is not a diagnosis, and they are not equally likely for your dog.
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Clouding of the lens
The lens turns greyish, bluish or white and lets less light through. Your dog sees less and less, and the eye looks cloudy from close up.
About the condition: Cataracts -
Retinal disorders
Some retinal diseases are inherited and slowly take away sight. A first sign can be poorer orientation at dusk, later by day as well.
About the condition: Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) -
Raised pressure inside the eye
When pressure inside the eye rises the eye hurts and reddens, the pupil widens, and vision can worsen quickly. This is an urgent condition.
About the condition: Glaucoma -
Inborn eye development problems
Some breeds are prone to structural eye problems that can reduce vision from a young age.
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Inflammation or injury
Inflammation of the eye, a blow or damage to the surface can quickly worsen sight, especially if the cornea turns cloudy.
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The effect of general illness on the eyes
Some general illnesses, for example those linked to blood pressure or sugar, can affect the eyes. For that reason it is worth discussing your dog's overall health too.
What else to watch for
These observations help your vet build the picture faster. Note down what you saw and when.
- When you first noticed the change, and whether it came on quickly or slowly
- Whether your dog sees better by day or at dusk
- Whether the eyes look cloudy, or the pupils are wide or unequal
- Whether your dog bumps into things or avoids stairs and unfamiliar places
- Whether the eyes are red, squinting, rubbed or watering
- Whether drinking, urinating or general wellbeing have changed
When to book a routine visit
Book a visit if your dog increasingly bumps into things, copes badly at dusk, or the eyes look cloudy or changed. Tell your vet when you noticed the change and whether it was sudden. If this is left too late, the consequences of some eye problems may be permanent.
Related conditions
Conditions whose entries mention this sign. The list is somewhere to read on, not a way to reach a diagnosis.
- Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Eyes Progressive retinal atrophy is a group of inherited eye diseases in which the cells of the retina slowly break down and the dog gradually loses its sight. The disease itself is not painful, but it can eventually lead to complete blindness. Genetic tests exist for some forms, so breeders can screen their breeding dogs.
- Cataracts Eyes A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, in which the clear lens turns milky or pearly and lets less and less light through to the retina. It can be inherited and appear in a young dog, develop with age, or come with other diseases such as diabetes. The clouding may stay small or spread until the dog can no longer see, so the eyes should be checked by a vet.
- Glaucoma Eyes Glaucoma is a condition in which the pressure inside the eye rises because fluid can no longer drain out of the eye as it should. The raised pressure presses on the retina and the optic nerve, so glaucoma is very painful and can quickly take away sight. It is an emergency: the dog needs a vet immediately.
- Collie eye anomaly Eyes Collie eye anomaly is an inherited developmental disorder of the back of the eye, in which tissues there, including the blood-rich layer called the choroid, form incorrectly before birth. A mild form may barely affect vision, while a more severe one can lead to retinal detachment, bleeding inside the eye and blindness. The condition is present from birth, and genetic tests exist for it, so breeders can screen their breeding dogs.
Body systems: Eyes