3 Step At-Home Eye Exam for Dogs #NationalEyeExamMonth

August is National Eye Exam Month. A time when humans are encouraged to head to the optometrist to have their peepers checked. It’s also a great time to get into a routine of checking your dog’s eyes as well especially if you have an adult or senior dog.

Believe me when I say, it is best to catch eye problems early. Though I had noticed for some time that Oz’s eyes looked “different”, it wasn’t until he started having goopy eyes all the time that I stood up and took notice. I also started noticing that he would bump into things in low light and he did not want to go on a big walk once it was dark. I wish now that I had routinely checked his eyes.

Though some breeds are more prone to certain eye disorders - you should research that for your dog if you have not done so already – there are several eye or eye-related disorders that are common in most dogs. They include:

• Conjunctivitis – inflammation of the tissue in the eye that make the eye look red and swollen and produce a discharge;
• Dry Eye – decreased tear production that causes particles to get stuck in the eye which can lead to squinting, discharge and even corneal inflammation;
• Cherry Eye – enlarged tear glands that cause a cherry-like mass on the eye;
• Epiphora – excessive tear production that causes staining of fur;
• Glaucoma – cloudy cornea that is caused by increased pressure in the eyeball;
• Cataracts – makes the lens opaque which causes impaired vision and blindness;
• PRA (Progessive Retinal Atrophy) – a degeneration of the retina causing at first, night blindness which progresses to complete blindness.

3 Step At-Home Eye Exam for Dogs

1. Sit with your dog in a well-lit area. Being in an area with a lot of natural light will help you see anything unusual with your dog’s eyes.

2. Look into your dog’s eyes. You should be looking to see if the pupils are of equal size and that the eyeballs are not swollen. You should also look for cloudiness, discharge or crustiness.

3. With your fingers, gently pull back the eyelids. Check to make sure the eye is not bloodshot and that the lining of the lid is not red or white.

Hopefully, all is well in and around your dog’s eyes.  If you notice any crust, yellow or green discharge, excessive tearing, discolored lining or a visible third eyelid, than we strongly encourage you to make an appointment with your veterinarian so he/she can make a proper diagnosis.

  

Since Oz has been diagnosed with Dry Eye and night blindness, I check his eyes all the time. If I could go back in time, I would make it part of our routine to check his eyes once a month so that I might have seen his eye issues coming (no pun intended) and possibly taken him to the vet sooner.

Do you routinely check your dog’s eyes? If not, will you start doing so?