There are many reasons to make an appointment with your Northern Colorado canine ophthalmologist. For example, if your dog suffers from cataracts.

A cataract is an irregularity of your dog’s lens in which opacity, a cloudy development, inhibits light from reaching the retina. You dog may suffer a cataract in one eye or have cataracts in both eyes. This is a serious condition that can cause your dog to go blind.

A cataract can take on a variation of appearances, it may start of as tiny dots that eventually progress into larger ones in areas of the lens. Progression of this condition may be slow or rather quick, but the speed is very difficult to foretell.

There are a few ways in which your dog may develop cataracts. Cataracts can be inherited, or caused by an inflammation in the eye, an internal disease (like diabetes) or result from an injury to the eye or eyes. And even though the underlying cause could be difficult to identify, cataracts that develop without other conditions are often assumed to be inherited. However, if the cataract occurs in an older dog, it could certainly be age related.

At this time, there is no known medical treatment that can slow the progression of this condition. In addition, there are no known medications or procedures that will prevent or reverse the formation of cataracts. Surgical removal is the only way to rid your dog of cataracts and restore vision.

If you suspect your dog may have cataracts, contact us. A complete ocular examination is required for an accurate assessment of whether the dog is a candidate for surgery.