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Eye Concerns

Seeing as we can help answer some questions, let's look further into some common eye concerns.

Under Construction

What will you see?

The eyes are one of the most sensitive external organs of our body. Recognizing common symptoms of concern and what may cause them are important in determining when it is best to bring your pet in for a visit to further evaluate the situation.

There are a variety of reasons that may cause trauma or irritation to the eyes. To list a few; allergies, foreign body (ex. grass seeds or twig), malformation of the eyelids, irritant (ex. room spray or new detergent), and the list goes on. 

Common signs you will begin to recognize at home are:

  • Squinting or inability to open the eye fully

  • Eye discharge (varying from more 'tears' to a thicker mucoid debris to crust buildup)

  • Pawing at the face/eyes

  • Rubbing head on carpet or the side of furniture

  • Redness around the eye or in the eye

  • Swelling around the eye

  • Hair loss around affected eye(s)

Due to the sensitivity of this area, we would recommend a visit to your veterinarian any time you have concern of one or more of these symptoms for your pet. It is best to catch medical concerns of the eye early and treat them before more involved resolutions (such as surgical intervention) is necessary.

Questions to Know for a Visit in Clinic

  1. How long have you noticed the eye(s) being an issue for your pet?

  2. What are the primary symptoms you are noticing at home? Redness, debris buildup, pawing at face, squinting?

  3. Which eye(s) are affected? 

  4. Have you wiped the eye(s) clean at home? When was the last time they were cleaned?

  5. Do they go outdoors often or live primary outdoors? Have they been out running in fields or tall grass recently?

  6. Do they have a history of eye concerns?

Eye Medication Application

You took your pet to the vet, and treatment was prescribed. However, now you (possibly) have an ointment or solution that needs to be applied (multiple times a day!). Here's how to do it and some videos to help out too.

  1. Find a space that your pet will not be able to back up or duck under and away from you. For large dogs, a recliner or couch can be a good spot, for small dogs or cats on the couch by the armrest or on your lap. *A towel or blanket may also be helpful to have nearby in the event that your pet attempts to paw at their face while you are applying the medication. The towel/blanket can be used to wrap around them (like a hairdressers cape) to prevent their paws from getting in the way.*

  2. Prepare the medication tube next to you on a tray or end table with the cap unscrewed but tip still placed within. We want to be able to remove the tube to apply the medication in a timely manner, but do not want to expose the tip to excess foreign material/bacteria since the medication will be going into the eye.

  3. ​Place them next to you or between your legs facing the same direction you are. For example, if you are sitting on the couch looking at a tv, they should also be sitting on the couch looking towards the tv. We do not want them positioned in a way that we will be coming directly at them with the medication tube.

  4. If you are by yourself, use your non-dominant hand (the one that will not be applying the medication) to hold you pet's head firmly under the chin, with your thumb placed over the top of their nose (for larger pets) or behind their ear/the back of their head (for smaller pets) for control and stability. Used this hand to help tip their head back and maintain control during the medication administration.

  5. With your dominant hand, pick up the medication tube and rest the heel of your palm on their head near the eye you will be applying the medication. This is so that in the event that your pet moves their head quickly in the direction of the tube, they do not get poked in the eye with the tip of it or a finger.

  6. Use any of your available fingers, not holding the tube, to open the eye to allow for proper administration into the eye. For example, the pinky of your dominant hand and thumb of non-dominant hand may work well depending on your positioning. 

  7. If administering drops, now squeeze the tube to allow the recommended number of drops to enter the eye. For ointment, start at one corner of the eye, squeezing the tube lightly as you work your way across the eye. Once the appropriate eye(s) are medicated, your pet is free to walk away. When they blink this will work the medication over the full surface of the eye. 

  8. Be sure to recap you medication tube after application to prevent excess exposure to foreign material and bacteria.  

Corneal Scratch/Ulcer

Signs:

  • ​Irritation/Redness to eye

  • Cloudy appearance to the cornea

  • Recent exercise in areas with taller grasses or low hanging branches that resulted in acute redness to the eye

  • Pawing at face

  • Excess discharge around eye

Diagnosis:

A veterinary exam is recommended any time the eye is affected. Unfortunately, descriptions and photographs can not show the severity of concerns present and it is important for an in clinic assessment. When a scratch or ulcer is suspected, staining the eye with fluorescein stain will be recommended. This stain will then uptake in any damaged aspects to the eye. With the visual representation, your veterinarian will be able to better assess the severity of the injury and the necessary medications for healing.

Treatment:

Treatment will vary depending on the severity of the abrasion and the symptoms your pet is exhibiting at home. Commonly, a topical ointment or drop that must be applied to the eye will be used as treatment for 5-7 days. Additionally, pain medications or other supportive medications may be indicated based on symptoms. At the end of the treatment course, a recheck exam will be necessary to assess the healing progress of the injury. Further medication needs will be evaluated depending on the results of the stain during this recheck visit.

Glaucoma

Signs:

  • ​Squinting

  • Pawing at face/Rubbing face frequently

  • Bulging/Red Eyeball(s)

  • Changes to normal behaviors (due to pain, decreased vision, or both)

Diagnosis:

Scheduling an exam with your primary veterinarian or a veterinary ophthalmologist will be important for diagnosis and determining an appropriate treatment plan. One test used is checking the pets intraocular pressures (IOP). This is completed by using an instrument called a Tonopen. The readings from this tool will indicate if there are high pressures present. These readings, along with patient history, will work to determine if Glaucoma is the appropriate diagnosis.

Treatment:

Glaucoma is not reversible (is progressive), and can often be painful due to the increased pressure around the eye. Medications to control the pressures will be helpful with management, however surgical intervention is often necessary. Whether it is elected to complete a salvage procedure to decrease the progression of the condition, or to remove the eye once pressures cannot be managed. The important points for glaucoma are to recognize the symptoms early, take your pet in for examinations as eye concerns arise, and work to manage the condition after diagnosis.

Dry Eye

Also Known As 'Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca' (KCS)

Signs:

  • Yellow/green thick or mucoid debris (may become crusty depending on how long it is left around the eyes)​

  • Bilateral symptoms (both eyes showing symptoms versus only one)

  • Changes to the appearance of the cornea (turning brown, red or becoming cloudy)

Diagnosis:

A veterinary exam is recommended any time the eye is affected. When dry eye is suspected, using a test called the Schirmer Tear Test will be recommended. This test uses a small eye strip placed in the corner of the eye. After 60 seconds, this strip with show how much fluid was excreted into the eye. With the test result, your veterinarian will be able to better assess the severity this diagnosis and the necessary medications to manage it.

Treatment:

Treatment will be greatly dependent on the primary cause for dry eye. Few situations are based on a temporary situation, where treatment will help to maintain the integrity of the eye until the eye begins producing tears again on its on. The majority of causes for dry eye however, are not able to be cured and will require lifelong treatment. The choice of medications used and frequency of administration will be based on what shows the best response for the pet. Most medications will take 4-8 weeks to take effect, during which time the eyes will need to be supplemented with eye lubricants (commonly given every 2-8 hours depending on the pet). Once on a stable treatment course with symptoms managed, medications may be able to be adjusted or decreased.

Cherry Eye

Signs:

  • Red 'mass' protruding from the corner of the eye​

  • Discharge

  • Irritation/pawing at face

Diagnosis:

Scheduling an exam with your primary veterinarian or a veterinary ophthalmologist will be important for diagnosis and determining an appropriate treatment plan. There are no specialized testing methods for this diagnosis, however visual examination in clinic is necessary to assess the severity of the condition.

Treatment:

To prevent further irritation or damage to the duct located in the third eyelid, surgical correction will be necessary. Monitoring post procedure will be important as there are a variety of compilations relating to irritation of the eye and surgical success. Re-correction or additional surgery may be necessary in some cases.

Entropion/Ectropion

'Eyelids Roll IN'/'Eyelids Roll OUT'

Signs:

  • ​Rolling in (towards the eye) of the upper/lower or both eyelids 

  • Redness/Irritation

  • Increased tear production or new discharge noticed

  • Squinting or holding eye closed

Diagnosis:

Diagnosis will be primarily from a physical exam by a veterinarian or veterinary ophthalmologist without any additional testing. However, since some cases of entropion can result secondary to a different condition or cause corneal ulcers, additional tests may still be recommended to determine the integrity of the eye.

Treatment:

If entropion is caused secondarily to a different condition, appropriately treating the primary condition should result in reversal of the entropion naturally. If found to be a hereditary or acquired condition, surgical correction will be necessary. 

Signs:

  • Rolling out (away from the eye)​ of the upper, or more commonly, lower eyelid(s)

  • Brown tear staining around the eye

  • Redness/Irritation

Diagnosis:

Diagnosis will be primarily from a physical exam by a veterinarian or veterinary ophthalmologist without any additional testing. However, since some cases of ectropion can cause secondary concerns to the eye, additional tests may still be recommended to determine if other treatments are necessary.

Treatment:

This condition is seen commonly as a dog related, breed specific concern. While rare, it can be seen in cats. If only a mild case for dogs, that is not casusing further damage to the eye, supportive treatment to prevent infection and supplement tear production/lubrication will be recommended. Once other secondary concerns are noted, surgical correction will likely be the recommended course of action.

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