If your pet has a sore eye, the “wait and see” rule does not apply.
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A normal pet eye is clear, free of discharge and the sclera (or the whites of the eyes) are just that, white.
Signs of a sore eye can include squinting, redness, rubbing at the eye, abnormal or increased discharge, changes in size of the eye and even changes in behaviour.
Flouroscein, a special stain that can be applied to your pet’s eye, highlights any cornea damage.
Once the damage has been identified, local anaesthetic drops allow us to check for, and flush out, any foreign bodies (eg grass seeds) lurking behind the eyelids.
In many cases, some eye drops and pain relief will be prescribed to encourage healing of the cornea, but in more serious cases, surgery can be required to cover the ulcer while it heals.
A schirmer tear test is another important test that allows us to measure the amount of tear production in your pet’s eyes.
A lack of tear production can result in gritty, sore, irritated eyes and pets will often rub at their eyes, or have repeat bouts of conjunctivitis.
If we have concerns about glaucoma (high pressure within the eye), it is very important we check your pet’s intraocular pressure (IOP).
Pressure increases, as seen with glaucoma, if left untreated, can lead to irreversible blindness and in some cases, rupture of the eye itself!
Other common eye changes can include a haziness or milky appearance.
Sometimes this can be a normal ageing-related change, called benign nuclear sclerosis, which requires ongoing monitoring, but in other cases it can be due to cataracts.
It is important to differentiate between the two, as surgery can be performed to correct cataracts.