Ask the Vet: Nerve Damage Causes Horner's Syndrome

Dr. Lee Pickett on Mar 7, 2024

Q: The veterinarian said my 10-year-old dog, Addie, has small cataracts in both eyes. Because of the pandemic, I couldn't talk with the vet in person, so I'm not sure how much of a problem this is. Please educate me about cataracts.

A: A cataract is an opaque area in the lens that blocks light transmission to the retina and impairs vision. Addie's cataracts are small, so she is probably getting around fine.

Your veterinarian will monitor Addie's cataracts at each exam, noting whether they grow and "mature." A mature cataract encompasses the entire lens and blinds the eye. It also can cause two painful conditions: uveitis, or inflammation within the eye, and glaucoma, increased pressure inside the eye.

Addie's cataracts may or may not progress to that point. If they do, your vet may suggest consulting a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist, who can remove them and insert an artificial lens in each eye to restore vision, just as is done for humans.

Cataracts have many causes. Most that occur in purebred dogs are inherited. In dogs with poorly controlled diabetes, cataracts can form very quickly. Those that develop in older dogs as a result of sun exposure usually grow slowly and don't become a problem.

Toxins and trauma can also cause cataracts, as can an electrical shock from gnawing a power cord. Nutritional imbalances also can precipitate cataracts.

Each time your veterinarian examines Addie, ask whether her cataracts have changed and if it's time for a veterinary ophthalmologist to examine her.

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Lee Pickett, VMD, practices companion animal medicine in North Carolina. Contact her at https://askthevet.pet.