A cataract is any opacity of the lens or its capsule. Cataracts are one of the commonest causes of blindness in dogs, and they arrive in NAVLE questions in three main ways: the older dog with a "cloudy eye" that may only have nuclear sclerosis, the diabetic dog that goes blind within weeks, and the dog being prepared for surgery that first needs its retina checked.
Key facts
Cataracts at a glance- Species: dog (in cats, most cataracts are secondary to uveitis).
- System: special senses, eye (lens).
- Main causes: inherited (breed-related) and diabetes mellitus; also uveitis, trauma, retinal degeneration, nutrition and age.
- Classic presentation: white pupil and progressive vision loss; in diabetics, sudden bilateral blindness.
- Key distinction: nuclear sclerosis is normal ageing and does not block the tapetal reflection; a cataract does.
- Only treatment that restores vision: surgical removal, usually phacoemulsification with an intraocular lens.
What's inside
12 sections in the full guide- Key facts
- How the NAVLE tests this
- Cause and pathophysiology
- Clinical signs
- Diagnosis
- Differential diagnoses
- Treatment and management
- Prevention and control
- Prognosis
- Quick review
- Test yourself
- References
The full guide also has 5 tables, 3 figures, 3 self-test questions and 18 references, available to NAVLE members.
Read the full study guide
The full guide is part of every NAVLE plan, with diagnosis and treatment tables, figures, a quick review and self-test questions. Start a free trial to try the question bank, or log in if you are already a member.