Ophthalmology

Ophthalmology Services

Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) -- Dry Eye Condition

KCS is a common condition of dogs due to inadequate production of tears in the eye by the third eyelid gland. Immune mediated condition is usually the most common reason why pets develop KCS. Certain breeds of dogs like Boston Terriers, Cocker Spaniels, English Bulldogs, etc are just a few dogs that tend to present commonly for this condition.

Some signs of KCS that owner recognize:

Eye Discharge and redness of the whites of the eyes
Constant blinking of the eye
Rubbing of the face

Schirmer's Tear test is a special test that determines the amount of tears that are being produced by the eye glands.

Corneal Ulcers

Corneal Ulcers are a very common condition dogs and cats get usually due to some sort of traumatic event (like a scratch of the eyeball)

Some signs of Corneal Ulcers that owner recognize:

Redness and inflammation of the eye
Constant blinking/squinting of the eye
Rubbing of the face/eye
Eye discharge

Certain dog breeds (especially short snout dogs like Bulldogs, Boston Terriers and Pugs) are commonly affected by this condition. Most dogs or cats develop a corneal ulcer while playing rough, running into bushes, or getting their eyes scratched by another pet. Sometimes there maybe foxtails or other foreign matter stuck under the eyelid and these object rub and scratch the cornea.

Fluorescein Dye Stain is the test of choice to diagnose corneal ulcers.

Corneal Ulcer - (2 green lines on the eye)

Healed Ulcer - several days post treatment

Diamond Burr Superficial Keratotomy

For Non-Healing Ulcers, we recommend doing the Diamond Burr Superficial Keratotomy. In some papers its reported to has 92.5% success rate in healing an ulcer. Its especially useful for a boxer ulcers that tend to heal poorly with conventional treatments.

Diamond Burr Keratotomy Performed on a Boxer

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is an increase in the pressure of the eye. Certain breeds of dogs like Cocker Spaniels, Poodles, Chow Chows, Samoyeds, and Siberian Huskies are predisposed to getting glaucoma.

Some signs of glaucoma that owner recognize:

Constant blinking of the eye
Redness of the blood vessels in the whites of eyes
Cloudy appearance at front of the eye
Dilated Pupil
Possible Vision loss

Enlargement of the eyeball

Tonometry is a test to measure the pressure inside your eyes. The test is used to screen for glaucoma.

Tono-Pet Avia Vet quickly detects pressures of the eyes