Condition6 connections · 1 source
Cataracts
Opacity in the lens of the eye causing vision impairment or blindness.
Key Facts
- Most common cause in dogs: genetic/hereditary
- Diabetic dogs: cataracts virtually unavoidable (sorbitol draws water into lens)
- Diabetic cats do NOT get cataracts (different sugar metabolism in eye)
- Nuclear sclerosis (age-related cloudiness) is NOT a cataract and vision is preserved
- Phacoemulsification: ultrasound breaks lens apart for removal
- Artificial lens implanted after removal (without it: 20/800 vision)
- Uveitis is common complication — anti-inflammatory eye drops needed months after surgery