Eye Conditions

Blastomycosis
Blastomycosis is a fungal infection caused by the fungus Blastomyces dermatitidis. This fungus is commonly found in the river valleys of Tennessee, St. Lawrence, Ohio, Mississippi, and Missouri, as well...

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Blepharitis
Blepharitis is an inflammation of the eyelids and may also include inflammation of the tiny glands of the eyelid margin called the meibomian glands. There are many causes but, one...

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Canine Uveitis
Uveitis is an inflammatory process involving the middle of the three layers in the eye. To understand uveitis, it is important to know the basic anatomy of the eye. The...

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Cataracts
What is a cataract? A cataract is an opacity of the lens that prevents light from reaching the retina, which means cataracts lead to vision impairment. Cataracts can develop in...

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Coccidiomycosis / Valley Fever
Coccidiomycosis (a.k.a. Coccidioidomycosis or “Valley Fever”) is an infection caused by the fungus Coccidioides immitis, or a closely related species Coccidiodes posadassii. This fungus is commonly found in the southwestern...

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Conjunctivitis
General Information The conjunctiva is the pink tissue that lines the inner surface of the eyelids and covers the white portion of the eyeball (sclera). It is a protective layer...

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Corneal Abscess in the Horse
The cornea is the clear front part of the eye. A thin layer of tissue called epithelium is the cornea’s protective outer layer. The inner surface is called the endothelium...

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Corneal Dystrophy
Corneal dystrophy and corneal degeneration are diseases of the cornea characterized by white, opaque mineral (either cholesterol or calcium) deposits within the cornea (the clear front part of the eye)....

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Corneal Endothelial Dystrophy/Degeneration
The cornea is normally the transparent “windshield” of the eye, serving to protect the internal structures of the eye while allowing light to enter for vision. The endothelium is a...

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Corneal Sequestrum
Corneal sequestrum is a disease affecting the cornea (the clear curved transparent part of the front the eye). The sequestrum is usually an area of degenerated or non-living corneal tissue....

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Corneal Ulcers
The cornea is the transparent, domed front part of the eye that acts to protect and maintain ocular integrity while allowing light to enter the eye for vision. The normal...

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Dermoids
Dermoids are overgrowths of non-cancerous, normal skin in the wrong location that arise because of abnormal development of the embryo in utero.  The skin may be pigmented, contain sebaceous and...

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Distichiasis, Trichiasis and Ectopic Cilia
General Information Distichiasis is an abnormal condition in which extra eyelashes appear along the eyelid margin(s), where they normally should not grow. This condition is genetically inherited and is common in...

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Ehrlichiosis (Tick Fever)
The Disease and its Transmission Ehrlichiosis (also called “tick fever”) is an infectious disease seen across the continental U.S. and occurs with the most frequency in the southern states and...

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Episcleritis
General Information Episcleritis is an inflammation of the episclera. The sclera is the white outer fibrous covering of the eyeball. The thin outer layer of tissue overlying the sclera is...

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Equine Cataracts
By definition, a cataract is an opacity of the lens that obstructs passage of light and impedes vision. A cataract may appear as cloudiness or haze in your horse’s eye....

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Equine Corneal Ulcers
The cornea is the clear dome-shaped structure that forms the front surface of the eye. It allows light to enter the eye and helps to focus it on the retina...

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Equine Recurrent Uveitis
Uveitis means inflammation of the iris and deeper structures inside the eye. Equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) is the most common cause of defective vision or blindness in the horse. ERU...

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Eyelid Agenesis
General Information Eyelid agenesis is a congenital condition (birth defect) in cats where a portion of the eyelid margin is underdeveloped at birth. This disease of the feline eyelid is...

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Eyelid Entropion and Ectropion
Entropion is a condition of the eyelids in which the eyelid margin rolls inward towards the eye. It is most common in puppies and usually results from disproportionate eyelid growth....

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Eyelid Masses
Eyelid masses are most often benign in the dog. Cats have a higher incidence of malignant eyelid masses. Depending on the size, location and appearance of the mass your doctor...

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Eyeshine
Eyeshine refers to the reflection of light off the mirror-like membrane, called the tapetum, in the back of the eye. Many animals, including dogs and cats, have a tapetum, while...

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Feline Conjunctivitis and Keratitis
Conjunctivitis and keratitis are common eye problems in all ages of cats. Conjunctivitis refers to the inflammation of the pink membranes surrounding the eye, whereas keratitis refers to the inflammation...

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Feline Diffuse Iris Melanoma (FDIM)
The iris is the most common origin of primary intraocular tumors in all species of domestic animals. The iris is the most common site of origin for ocular melanocytic (brown...

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Feline Herpesvirus
Feline herpesvirus (FHV-1) is a common cause of eye and upper respiratory infection in the cat. This virus is very common in the cat population, but it is not contagious...

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Feline Uveitis
Uveitis is an inflammatory process involving the middle of the three layers in the eye. To understand uveitis, it is important to know the basic anatomy of the eye. The...

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Follicular Conjunctivitis
The conjunctiva refers to the pink tissue surrounding the eye, third eyelid, and lining the upper and lower lids.  This tissue contains numerous structures, called follicles, which are important for...

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Glaucoma
Glaucoma describes a neurodegenerative condition of the optic nerve, which eventually leads to blindness. In humans, elevated intraocular pressure is one of the major risk factors for developing glaucoma; however,...

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Horner’s Syndrome
Horner’s syndrome is a collection of clinical signs that are seen together and often have a limited number of causes. These particular clinical signs seen with Horner’s occur due to...

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Hypertensive Retinopathy
Systemic hypertension (high blood pressure) is a common problem in companion animals, particularly in cats. Frequently, there are no obvious systemic signs indicating your pet has high blood pressure. The...

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Hyphema
General Information Hyphema simply means blood inside the eye. It can occur for many reasons and it can be a sign of a serious disease process, such as rat poison...

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Immune Mediated Keratitis
Immune mediated keratitis (IMMK) occurs when the immune system has been stimulated to attack corneal tissue leading to inflammatory changes within those tissues. Like many other immune-mediated diseases that can...

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Inherited Eye Diseases in Collies
Collies are prone to several inherited eye defects, including the following: • Collie Eye Anomaly / Choroidal Hypoplasia (CEA/CH) • Persistent Pupillary Membranes (PPM) • Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) Collie...

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Iris atrophy.
Iris Atrophy
Iris Atrophy is an age-related thinning of the iris that commonly occurs in cats and dogs.  The iris is the colored tissue inside the eye that surrounds the pupil (which...

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Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca
Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) results from inadequate aqueous tears. To understand the “dry eye” syndrome, it is necessary to understand the normal health of the cornea as it relates to the...

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Lens Luxation
The lens is the focusing structure of the eye, known as accommodation. It is suspended in place by small fibers or ligaments and is located immediately behind the iris and...

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Lenticular Sclerosis
General Information The lens of the eye sits behind the colored iris; its job is to bend light rays to produce a sharply focused image upon the retina. New lens...

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Limbal Melanoma (Epibulbar Melanoma)
A limbal or epibulbar melanoma is a deeply pigmented mass that arises from a pigmented shelf at the limbus, which is where the cornea (outer clear portion) and the sclera...

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Lipid Aqueous
Lipid Aqueous results in a clouded appearance of the eye and is caused by a high concentration of lipids (the fatty substance in the cells) collecting in the aqueous humor...

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Meibomitis
The Meibomian glands are a special kind of secreting gland at the edge of the eyelids in both dogs and cats.  These glands are responsible for the production of meibum,...

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Nasolacrimal Duct Blockage
The nasolacrimal system is a thin walled tube that drains tears from the surface of the eye into the nasal passages and oral cavity. The nasolacrimal duct begins at two...

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Ocular Foreign Body Injuries
Ocular injuries resulting from accidental contact with cactus spines or other plant foreign bodies are the most commonly seen ocular foreign bodies in dogs or cats in desert regions. Other...

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Ocular Melanosis in Cairn Terriers
Ocular Melanosis is an eye condition that most commonly affects Cairn Terriers, though it has been reported occasionally in other breeds such as the Boxer. It is also called Pigmentary...

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Pannus (Chronic Superficial Keratitis)
Pannus, or chronic superficial keratitis, is a progressive inflammatory autoimmune disease of the cornea. Common clinical signs include pigmentation (brown discoloration), vascularization (blood vessel in-growth) and opacification (haziness) of the...

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Pigmentary Uveitis in Golden Retrievers
Pigmentary uveitis, or Golden Retriever Uveitis (GRU), is a disease primarily seen in the Golden Retriever breed and does not appear to be associated with any systemic disease or infection....

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Progressive Retinal Atrophy
To better understand progressive retinal atrophy, one must have a basic understanding of the function of the retina. The retina is a highly specialized tissue that lines the back of...

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Prolapsed Gland of the Third Eyelid (Cherry Eye)
Prolapsed gland of the third eyelid or “cherry eye” is the most common disorder of the third eyelid. It is most common in puppies and usually results from weakness in...

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Proliferative Keratoconjuntivitis (Eosinophilic Keratitis)
Eosinophilic keratitis is an inflammatory condition that affects the cornea and/or conjunctiva. The characteristic appearance is white, tan or pink roughened plaques on the corneal surface. These plaques are composed...

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Proptosis
Ocular proptosis is the traumatic forward displacement of the globe out of the orbit, most often resulting in the globe being displaced in front of the eyelids.  This is a...

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Retinal Reattachment Surgery
Retinal reattachment surgery is offered at our Pasadena, California (626-564-0202) hospital, where patients are received from around the country for surgical care. The retina The retina is a thin membrane...

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Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Squamous cell carcinoma is one of the most common periocular tumors in horses, specifically horses located in areas of intense sunlight or high altitude. Non-pigmented regions of the skin are...

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Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration Syndrome (SARDS)
Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration Syndrome (SARDS) is characterized by sudden vision loss in the dog. As the name implies, this disease affects the retina, which is the back part of...

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The Merle Gene and Multiple Ocular Abnormalities
The Merle gene is responsible for a wide variety of beautiful coat and iris colors in the dog. This dilution gene acts to lighten the coat color. The dappling effect...

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Uveal Cysts
The term cyst refers to a fluid-filled structure lined by epithelial cells, similar to a water balloon.  When these occur in the eye, they most often originate from the vascular...

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Uveitis
Uveitis is an inflammatory process involving the middle of the three layers in the eye. To understand uveitis, it is important to know the basic anatomy of the eye. The...

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Uveodermatologic Syndrome
Uveodermatologic Syndrome is an autoimmune condition affecting the pigmented cells of the body, especially in highly pigmented organs like the eyes and skin. It is generally believed to be due...

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