Have you noticed a change in your dog’s eyes? They may appear bluish, grayish, and/or hazy in the center. While there are definitely disease conditions that can cause these types of changes, the most common cause of hazy eyes in an older dog is nuclear sclerosis, also known as lenticular sclerosis.
Nuclear sclerosis is an aging change that happens in the lens of the eye, usually in dogs over 7-8 years of age. The lens is a structure that is located in the center of the globe of the eye and starts out clear. Over time (with age) the lens fibers change and lose some of their clarity, resulting in progressive haziness. The good news is that there is minimal impact on vision in dogs. Humans with this condition report blurry vision which can make activities like reading difficult. Dogs with nuclear sclerosis, who have no need to read, do just fine, and the changes do not progress enough to make them lose vision. No treatment is necessary.
Cataracts can appear similar to nuclear sclerosis in early stages. However, cataracts are a disease condition (as opposed to nuclear sclerosis, which is a normal aging change). Cataracts cause the lens to become opaque, and with progression will result in blindness. They also cause inflammation within the globe, which can lead to further issues. There are treatments available to help manage cataracts, and even surgeries to fix the problem.
Another area of the eye which may develop a hazy appearance is the cornea. The cornea is the clear part at the very front of the eye, the part that the eyelids slide over and keep moist. When the cornea gets hazy, you may have difficulty seeing the iris (colored portion) of your dog’s eye, while lens changes such as nuclear sclerosis and cataracts are visible in the pupil of the eye – in the hole in the iris. Corneal changes can happen with ulcers, inflammation, blood vessel growth, dry eye, etc. In most cases, treatment will be needed.
Here in Southern Oregon, we are lucky to have a local veterinary ophthalmology practice. If your dog’s eye haziness is concerning, complicated, or needs advanced treatment we may recommend referral to the specialist. However, nuclear sclerosis is something that we see every day and we would be happy to reassure you that you don’t need to worry if it shows up!”
Author: Dr Ema Thigpin