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Articles > Keywords > Eye Problems Eye Problems Digg this article Cataracts Can Affect Your Canine Cataracts are one of the most common eye problems in dogs, and they show up in canines of all breeds and in animals both young and old. As with humans, the only successful treatment is surgery. The word "cataract" literally is Latin for "break down," and refers to a problem that develops with the fibers in the lens of the eye. The disruption of these fibers causes the lens to become cloudy, reducing vision. There are several types of cataracts, which have different causes. All, however, result when the biochemistry of the eye (66 percent water and 33 percent protein), becomes out of balance. The end result is that too much water remains in the lens of the eye, while the percentage of insoluble proteins increases. The combination causes the cloudy white coating, loss of transparency and loss of vision characteristic of cataracts. [...] Comments Email to a Friend Digg this article Keratoconjunctivitis sicca Keratoconjunctivitis sicca, or KCS as it is sometimes called, is a disease affecting the eyes, causing the eyes to become dry and irritated. One can easily imagine the pain that dry eyes can cause, and it must be doubly frustrating for our dogs who cannot always tell us what ailments are troubling them. Unfortunately, this disease is sometimes misdiagnosed, and leaving the disease untreated can cause grave problems and even blindness. In this article, we'll learn what causes Keratoconjunctivitis sicca, who can be affected, and what treatments are available. [...] Comments Email to a Friend Digg this article Eye Drainage Several conditions can lead to your cat having eye drainage. The cat will secrete anything from thin and watery, to thick and postulant, and from clear in color to yellowish or greenish. These conditions are caused by inflammation, infections, such as the flu and evasion of viruses. Sometimes it is caused by an inherited gene or a malfunction of the tear glands that cause eye drainage. The most common condition for the drainage of the eye is called runny eye. Certain breeds of cats are more prone to leaky eyes than others. [h]Causes[/h] [-]Runny eyes can be caused by the over production of tears. Tears are produced normally to keep the lining of the eye moist. The tears then flow into the tear ducts making their way into the nose. But if there is a problem, the tears will spill onto the face and that is how we determine a cat has runny eyes. [...] Comments Email to a Friend Digg this article Eye Scratches It is very common for a veterinarian to see cats coming into her office with red eyes. Red eye may or may not be painful, but cat owners often observe that their cat has been pawing at his eye or face. Often time there is redness and swelling in the inner eyelid known as the conjunctiva, when this condition occurs it is called chemosis. The cause of chemosis or simply conjunctiva is due to an irritation, a foreign substance that has made its way into the inner eyelid and lodged there. It could be dust or a piece of hair. Any foreign substance would make the eye irritated and inflamed. Occasionally the ulcers can penetrate into deeper areas of the cornea and then your cat is at risk for the ruptures in the eye and causing complete eyesight. [...] Comments Email to a Friend Digg this article Eye Injuries One of the most frightening things for a dog owner to deal with is an eye injury or head injury to their dog that has affected the eye area. This is a very sensitive area for the dog and is easily hurt and irritate, just like for a human. Understanding how to assess the problem and provide some basic first aid until the dog can be seen by a vet is critical in both staying calm and hopefully protecting as much of the dog's vision as possible. Many eye injuries are caused by irritations in the eye that are either from the dog's hair or eyelashes or from foreign materials getting into the eye itself. These foreign objects can be pieces of grass or vegetation or even more serious issues such as glass, metal shards, splinters or virtually any other type of object or debris. When dealing with eye injuries it is important to be able to assess the injury and take appropriate first aid measures as quickly as possible. [...] Comments Email to a Friend Digg this article Progressive Retinal Atrophy Progressive Retinal Atrophy or PRA is the leading cause of blindness in adult dogs of almost every breed and size. It is a genetic condition from which there is no cure either through surgical procedures or drug therapies. As with any type of genetic disease the only true way to suppress the condition is to immediately spay or neuter any dog, mixed or purebred, that exhibits any sign of PRA. It is linked to a recessive gene that means that both the male and female must have the condition for the puppies to display PRA, but they can pass the genetic component on to their offspring, which then may breed with another recessive dog, resulting in a litter with PRA. There are some deviations to this rule as in Bullmastiffs and Old English Mastiffs the condition is a dominant gene and in breeds such as Samoyeds and Siberian Huskies the gene is sex-linked and is only found in males. [...] Comments Email to a Friend