They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul and you probably can’t resist your dog’s big soulful eyes, but did you know that those eyes can develop cataracts just like human eyes can? Due to age, genetics or health, up to 2% of all dogs can develop cataracts that can lead to blindness over time

 

What are cataracts in dogs?

Eye problems like cataracts can affect both dogs and cats. As with humans, through the cornea (the clear outer portion of the eye) and behind the iris (the colored portion of the eye), there is a lens in the center of the eye that focuses light into the retina, allowing your pup to see. When a dog develops a cataract, the normally crystal clear lens becomes cloudy due to a build-up of proteins either in or on the lens itself. Over time, the cloudiness becomes worse, gradually decreasing your dog’s vision and eventually leading to blindness.2

Cataracts can be classified based on what caused them to form, age of onset, location of the opacity within the lens and degree of opacification.

There are four stages of cataracts based on the degree of cloudiness:3

  • Incipient: affects less than 15% of the lens without vision issues
  • Immature: affects more than 15% of the lens with some vision loss
  • Mature: affects the retina with severe vision loss
  • Hypermature: causes severe vision loss and blindness with inflammation, uveitis and lens cap wrinkling

Why do dogs get cataracts?

Dogs can get cataracts for a variety of reasons, including:4

Symptoms of cataracts in dogs

Just what are the symptoms of cataracts in dogs? And what do cataracts look like in dogs? Cataracts form inside the eye, so they don’t actually look like a film on the surface of the eye. Many times cataracts will need to be diagnosed using an ophthalmoscope, often with a trained eye. Very mature cataracts can generally be seen without the help of instruments.

Over time, your dog’s eyes will naturally become opaque due to a condition called nuclear sclerosis that occurs as they enter their senior years. This is often mistaken for cataracts, but actually is not thought to impair vision. But cloudiness could also indicate a cataract as these conditions can look very similar.4

Symptoms of dog cataracts can include:4,5

  • Cloudy eyes
  • Clumsiness due to a change in vision
  • Trouble seeing in new environments
  • Cautious movements
  • Staying close to you when outdoors

Note that many dogs with cataracts, especially older dogs with cataracts, tend to memorize their environments remarkably well and you may not notice any signs of decreased vision until the cataracts have progressed.4 To find out if your dog has cataracts, bring them to your veterinarian for an exam if you notice any of these symptoms.