Dog Eye – How To Take Care of Your Dog’s Eyes

The eye is a very delicate organ and consists of an almost circular chamber divided into a) the aqueous humour containing fluid, which sits just behind the transparent eye covering called the cornea, b) a lens supported by muscles which contract and expand to allow for change in shape and therefore change in focus, shielded by the iris, a circular band of ciliary muscle which expands and contracts to let in light, and d) a chamber behind the lens called the aqueous humour which contains a clear jelly like substance. At the back of the eye is the optic nerve and the retina, a light-sensitive layer of tissue which captures and transmits visual information to the brain via the optic nerve.

The eye is protected by eyelids and lashes, but sometimes these are not enough protection against the dust and dirt that can get into your dog's eyes and they need a great deal of care to keep clean.

One of the most common eye conditions is conjunctivitis, a bacterial infection which affects the thin membrane covering the front of the eye called the conjunctiva. It causes redness and dryness and results in a thick exudate which clogs up the front of the eye and makes it difficult to open the eye. Treatment is very quick and effective and is usually cleared up with a short course of ointment which can be prescribed by your vet.

If your dog's hair or fur is too long and obscures his vision you're well advised to keep it trimmed so that the ends do not blow into his eyes and cause damage or irritation, and it's important to keep an eye out for dust, dirt or foreign bodies in your dog's eyes so they can be removed as quickly as possible.

There are a number of diseases and conditions which can affect your dog's eyes - the main being cataract which is a clouding of the lens and consequent lack of vision sometimes leading to total blindness in one eye, glaucoma, an increase in the pressure within the eye, and corneal ulceration caused by an irritant or foreign body lodging in the tissue and causing irritation and tissue change. Slight abnormality in physiology within the tear ducts may lead to epiphora which is a chronic leaking in lachrymal fluid, and finally blindness which can be as a result of old age and gradual deterioration of the lens following development of cataracts.

When you do your weekly checkups on your dog it's a good idea to include a thorough check of his eyes so that you can pick up any problems as soon as possible. Clean the skin around the eyes gently with some threadless cotton wool dipped in warm water to remove mucus, dust and dirt, but be sure not to sweep these into the eyes themselves. The more you can do to reduce the possibilities of infection and disease the happier and healthier your dog will be.

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