Side Effects of Glaucoma in Dogs

Glaucoma is abnormally high pressure in the eye caused by lack of adequate drainage of eye fluids. Buildup of fluid and high pressure damages the optic nerve, causing vision loss. The side effects present in dogs with glaucoma are irritated and/or enlarged eyes and impaired vision.

  1. Eye Irritation

    • Although many diseases could cause your dog's eyes to become red, teary, cloudy with a whitish or blue hue or squinty, the possibility of glaucoma should be considered if these symptoms are present. Often, a dog affected by glaucoma will have pain in its eyes during periods of high pressure. Signs of eye pain are your dog holding its eyes closed or covering its eyes with the third eyelid, which is a red or pink membrane.

    Enlarged Eyes

    • Buphthalmos, or the enlargement and stretching of the eyes, is also a symptom of glaucoma. This enlargement is the result of pressure building inside the eyes. Once the eyes become buphthalmic, the dog's eyelids may no longer be able to close over the eyes. This can lead to further irritation and injury to the eyes.

    Impaired Vision

    • Eyesight is often affected when glaucoma is present. You can test your dog's vision with a "menace test." To do so, wave your hand in front of your dog's face, making sure to not create airflow and see if it blinks. You can also test your dog's eyesight by dropping light-weight materials, such as cotton balls or anything that won't make a sound, on the ground in front of it to see if it follows the objects. It's important to note, though, that if your dog's vision is only affected in one eye, the other eye will compensate and it may be difficult to detect vision impairment. You can also shine a bright light into your dog's eyes to attempt to initiate a normal blinking response to test vision ability.