# Cataracts



## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

So I just found out that my 8 year old lab mix has cataracts and my vet told me that adding extra omega fatty acids should help it. Does anyone know how effective that is? I've also heard of some drops you can put in dogs' eyes to dissolve cataracts, has anyone tried this or know anything about it? 

On the plus side, aside from the cataracts the vet said she looks great!


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

That seems like an odd response from the vet, I would think he'd know more about it then just giving supplements.


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

My 13 year old Lhasa has cataracts, I have cataracts, my mom just had her cataracts removed, and I used to work for a veterinary opthamalogist. There aren't any drops that can dissolve a cataract unless he is referring to an operation that dissolves them. If there were simple drops, I would be the first in line to buy a bottle!! A cataract is when the lens of the eye hardens and becomes opaque. The lens is actually behind the cornea so no drops can get to it since the cornea protects it. You can remove the cataract in a dog and its a fairly easy procedure. They don't replace cataracts with new lenses in dogs because as my vet opthamologist used to say "dogs dont' need to read newspapers!". In humans they replace the old, opaque lens with a new, artificial lens. It is still a fairly simple procedure but isnt' done until the cataract is mature (i.e. fully opaque).

I have never heard about omega 3 helping. I know cataracts can be genetic and that steroids make them worse. I have asthma and too many years of steroids have made mine get started way too early while my mom got hers in her 70's. Hope that answers some of your questions. Just to ease your worries, I had a Samoyed who had glaucoma and had both eyes removed eventually and had false eyes put in (the advantage of working for a vet ophthamologist!). She got along just great while she was totally blind and even could follow me thru the woods and not bump into anything. My Lhasa is doing fine with her cataracts now and just has trouble with some depth perception. Dogs do a lot better with limited vision then humans do.


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

I remember seeing this at petsmart, not sure how effective it would be though

Pet Vision Lubricating Eye Drops - Health Care - Dog - PetSmart


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

Yes! That's what I was talking about! My vet didn't mention anything about them, I don't know why she said the omegas would help, but maybe it's to preserve her other cognitive functions so she can operate just as well without her eyes?


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## Guest (Nov 6, 2009)

I'm turning 49 on Sunday and my eye doctor told me at my last exam that I have a very small cataract in my left eye. He said it does not need treatment, just monitor it at every annual eye exam. I can see fine (with my eyeglasses, of course. I'm blind and deaf without my eyeglasses.)

But, .. this is a doggie forum. My hiking partner's dog is 9 and has really cloudy eyes. I asked her if her dog had cataracts. She never thought to have the vet examine the dog's eyes. I hope she will take him in to the vet soon. I'd be curious to know what treatment her vet suggests.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

The only way to get rid of cataracts is to surgically remove them...which I have heard can be pretty costly with dogs....not 100% sure on that tho.



LabbieMama said:


> But, .. this is a doggie forum. My hiking partner's dog is 9 and has really cloudy eyes. I asked her if her dog had cataracts. She never thought to have the vet examine the dog's eyes. I hope she will take him in to the vet soon. I'd be curious to know what treatment her vet suggests.


Older dogs can have cloudy eyes for other reasons, most common being Nuclear Sclerosis. NS doesn't usually affect the dogs vision much, which is probably what your friend's dog has...but she should still take the dog in to make sure.


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