Eyes are one of the few anatomical structures that are the same in all mammals. Our eyes and that of our pets are very similar in structure and how they work to provide vision and how they are protected with tears and eyelids. One difference is that dogs and cats have a third eyelid in the middle corner of the eye, that comes across sometimes to help protect the eye.
Problems we see with eyes are also similar, we see scratches on the eye, glaucomas, cataracts, and conjunctivitis more commonly. The main difference is like many of the ailments we see with pets is that they cannot tell us how much pain they are in. Therefore, we always like to see eyes that just don’t look right as they can deteriorate very quickly. An eye that is blinking more than normal or is closed over, one that is red, cloudy or has a discharge or one where the third eyelid is visible are all signs of a problem.
If you are ever concerned about your pet’s eye, get them checked, they are much more easily treated sooner rather than later.
Lucy Travers BVSc CertAVP MRCVS Highfields Vets