Mary Allen
A cataract is any clouding of a lens. This clouding of the lens can be small enough that it does not affect vision. However, it can also extend to the entire lens. This results in significant visual impairment or even blindness. Unfortunately, most cataracts progress. The most common cause is an inherited predisposition, although the time at which it occurs can vary greatly. Furthermore, we often see cataracts as a result of diabetes mellitus (diabetes). Injuries or inflammation can also result in cataract formation.
What If Only One Eye Is Affected?
Then your dog (or cat) has a limited field of vision, he or she can only see to the left or right. On the other hand, spatial vision is no longer available. This means that distances can be estimated worse. A seeing eye is usually sufficient for rough orientation. However, if both eyes are able to see, there is a significant improvement in vision and, above all, greater safety and alertness on the part of the animal. “You see better with the second!”
How Can A Cataract Be Treated?
Even if there are always new preparations on the market that are supposed to work against the formation of cataracts, the only recognized and effective therapy option is still surgery.
The operation is essentially the same as in humans. Remove the cloudy lens and insert an artificial lens. However, dogs require general anesthesia and the operation is not least because of this more complex. The eye is opened through a small 3 mm long incision and the lens is then broken up and suctioned off using phacoemulsification (often incorrectly referred to as a laser). This happens inside the lens capsular bag so that it remains and can then be used to insert the artificial lens. In the end, the wound is sewn up again with suture material, which is then absorbed by the body. This is very thin.
Why An Artificial Lens?
The artificial lens with approx. +41 dioptres enable the dog to have significantly improved vision after the operation. This is especially noticeable at close range. Furthermore, the lens serves to provide additional stabilization of the internal organs in the eye, especially the vitreous body, which is located behind the lens. If this gets into the anterior chamber of the eye, it can cause problems.
But even in cases (approx. 5%) where an artificial lens cannot be implanted, the dog can see again afterward, but it is then considered far-sighted and can have difficulties in the close-up range.
Prognosis And Complications
The success rate depends on many factors.
Provided that the preliminary examinations (ERG, sonography, gonioscopy) do not reveal any abnormal findings, we estimate the prospect of your animal’s sight after the operation at 75-85%. In addition to the normal anesthetic risk, the overall rare complications include glaucoma formation (glaucoma, ocular hypertension), intraocular inflammation with scarring (with and without infection), retinal detachment, and lens instability. For most of these changes, however, a solution can be found with medication or, if necessary, surgery. Such complications can lead to the failure of the operation and the failure to restore vision.
What Is After The Operation?
The cataract operation is performed on an outpatient basis, which means that the patient is discharged home on the same day. You will receive precise instructions on how to administer the medication after the operation. For the first 14 days postoperatively, your animal must wear a plastic collar to prevent it from scratching its eye or rubbing its head on objects. Also, no other dogs in the household may lick the eye. Your pet can both eat and drink with the collar. We recommend cleaning the dog’s collar and neck area once or twice a day to avoid skin irritation or infection. During this time, someone must watch the dog and prevent him from rubbing his eye. If the suture comes undone due to chafing, a second operation is required and the prognosis decreases.
Pulling on the collar must be avoided at all costs and we recommend a harness for this purpose. During these two weeks after the operation, your dog should not play with other dogs or with toys and must be kept on a leash outside. Swimming is also prohibited. After the operation, we check the eyes after 1 and after 2 weeks as well as after 2 months, unless otherwise required. Regular check-ups after 6-12 months are recommended in order to detect and, if necessary, treat any subsequent changes that affect vision.
When Can My Dog/Cat See Me Again?
As soon as your animal wakes up from the anesthetic, it can see again.
What Happens If I Don’t Have The Operation Performed?
If cataract surgery is not performed, for whatever reason, the white of the lens continues to be released into the interior of the eye, causing more or less severe inflammation (lens-induced uveitis). This can result in complications such as lens displacement, glaucoma (green star), or retinal detachment. A retinal detachment is not painful in itself, but the other complications may require therapy. If cataract surgery is not performed on your dog, we recommend regular pressure checks of the eye pressure every 3-6 months. In some cases, drug treatment of the inflammation is also necessary.