Mission
Animal Clinic and Cataract
Located in the San Fernando Valley, 16907 San Fernando Mission Blvd. Granada Hills Ca, 818-363-8143
CATARACT: What Is It & How Is It Treated
Cataracts are a leading cause of blindness. Although most prevalent among older pets, a cataract can occur in young animals as well.
WHAT
IS A CATARACT? A
cataract is opacity (clouding) of the lens of the eye which blocks or changes
the passage of light through the eye. The
lens of the eye is located behind the pupil and normally is transparent.
Its role is to help focus images onto the retina at the back of the eye
which transmits the images to the brain. Cataracts
are not contagious and are not an infection.
CAUSES
OF CATARACTS. Although
the inciting cause is not known, it is known that a cataract is associated with
chemical changes within the lens. Most
often a cataract is related to the normal aging of the pet—and the eyes.
Other factors that play a role may be infection, hereditary influences,
congenital events such as viral infections in the mother before birth, physical
or chemical injury to the eye, and exposure to intense heat or radiation.
Eye diseases and certain generalized diseases, such as diabetes, can also
lead to cataract development.
WHAT
ARE THE SIGNS? Cataract
formation is not associated with pain, redness, or tearing.
The signs of a cataract are those associated with interference with
vision. As the cataract matures, it
becomes noticeable as a milky spot in the normally black pupil.
When the area of clouding is small and away from the
center of the lens, there may be little interference with vision.
However, as the cataract progresses, it becomes larger and larger.
TREATMENT
for a large cataract is surgery, which offers a safe and successful means to
restore vision in the majority of uncomplicated cataract patients.
If the cataract is very small, sometimes it is possible to improve vision
by using atropine eye drops to keep the pupil dilated, allowing vision in areas
of the lens not affected by the cataract. In
many instances, the pet never experiences visual difficulty to the point that
surgery is recommended.
16907 San Fernando Mission Blvd. Granada Hills, Ca. 91344 818-363-8143
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