The normal lens of the eye is a focusing device. It is completely clear and is suspended in position by tissue fibers (called zonules) just inside the pupil. The pupil opens and closes to control the light entering the eye so as to project an image onto the retina in the back of the eye, the way a projector projects an image onto a movie screen. The lens focuses the projected image in a process called accommodation.
The lens is in fact made of tissue fibers. As the animal ages, the lens cannot change its size and grow larger; instead, it becomes more compact with fibers. The older lens, being denser, appears cloudy. This condition is called nuclear sclerosis and is responsible for the cloudy-eyed appearance of older dogs. The lenses with nuclear sclerosis may look cloudy but they are still clear and the dog can still see through them; these are not cataracts.
Why is it Bad to have a Cataract?
The area of the lens involved by the cataract amounts to a spot that the patient cannot see through. If the cataract involves too much of the lens, the animal may be blind in that eye and there could be cataracts in both eyes, which means the pet could be rendered completely blind.
A cataract can luxate, which means that it can slip from the tissue strands that hold it in place. The cataractous lens can thus end up floating around in the eye where it can cause damage. If it settles so as to block the eye’s natural fluid drainage, glaucoma (a buildup in eye pressure) can result, leading to pain and permanent blindness. A cataract can also cause glaucoma when it absorbs fluid and swells so as to partially obstruct fluid drainage.
Treatment
If your dog has a mature cataract, surgery is the best option..
But.
Not everyone can afford surgery, and not every dog is a surgical candidate.
So..
Topical treatment that can potentially help decrease eye inflammation ( uveitis) that goes along with cataracts.
Here are some options
TO THE KITCHEN. Tea is more than just a drink. It has tannins in it thatare anti-inflammatory and have antimicrobial properties. Brew up a strong cup of black tea and place three to four drops in the affected eye three times daily. It should be made daily to prevent contamination.
HERBAL:
EYEBRIGHT (EUPHRASIA). This herb has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. To make a solution, mix fivedrops of eyebright in 125 ml (one-half cup) of saline solution. Using an eyedropper, place two drops in the affected eye twice daily for five to seven days.
MORE HEALING EYE DROPS.
Instead of using Euphrasia, you can substitute one of these herbs: RASPBERRY, NETTLE OR OREGON GRAPE. Mix fivedrops of one of these herbs in 125 ml (one-half cup) of saline solution. Using an eyedropper, place two drops in the affected eye twice daily for five to seven days.
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