Why does my dog have cataracts in one eye with clear discharge?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Spatsie! From your pictures, the affected area is either with in the anterior chamber or the corneal surface of the eye. It is not the lens so it is likely not nuclear sclerosis or a cataract. With glaucoma the eye is very red, enlarged, and painful. From your picture the sclera (white part of the eye) doens't apear red. Glaucomoa is diagnosed based on measuring the intra-ocular pressure of the eye with a tonopen or other device. My worry is that the white substance is white blood cells (hypopyon) with in the anterior chamber (which can lead to glaucoma). Corneal ulcers, corneal abscesses, uveitis, and systemic illnesses commonly cause hypopyon. The other possibility is a severe corneal ulcer. Spatsie needs to have his eye examined by a Veterinarian. I hope this helps and I wish you and Spatsie the best!

A cataract does not produce pain or a discharge. That would make me worry about an ulcer on the cornea or dry eye to cause pain and a discharge. It does need to be seen as soon as possible to see what the problem is but until then you can apply a warm compress to help and rinse with saline eye wash to keep it clean

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Kira! I recommend seeing your Vet to confirm but it appears to be an anterior lens luxation. Meaning Kira’s lens (cataract) fell in to the front chamber of her eye. The lens in the anterior chamber causes inflammation so she is at an increased risk for uveitis and glaucoma. At a minimum she should be put on drops to help prevent those things. I hope this helps and I wish Kira the best!

I'm sorry to hear that Cami is having this problem. Unfortunately, the only treatment option for cataracts is surgery - so if this isn't an option for you due to cost, then there's really nothing you can do to make them go away. But, cataracts should not cause any drainage or watering of the eyes, so I would be concerned that Cami has some other eye problem causing this - possibly an eye infection, or allergies. These can often be treated with prescription eye drops from your veterinarian, so I would recommend taking her in for an eye exam to discuss what can be done to make her more comfortable.

Cataracts normally appear as cloudiness of the pupil only - this is the black part of the eye in the center, inside the iris. So the surface of the eye should look normal, but the black part may look cloudy. What you are describing - a bluish "film" on the surface of the entire eye - sounds more like some type of problem affecting the cornea. This can be a sign of glaucoma, or some other problem such as corneal dystrophy. Cataracts can be treated surgically if this ends up being the problem, just as in humans. Glaucoma can be treated medically with eye drops in some cases, while other affected dogs may need surgery for this problem as well. I would recommend taking Siggy to the vet for an exam as soon as you are able to - your vet should be able to narrow down the possibilities based on the appearance of the eye, and can also do some testing if needed to make a definite diagnosis and see what can be done to treat the problem.

Oh dear! This sounds like something that definitely needs to be seen by a vet as soon as possible. Discharge from the eyes can be caused by an eye infection, an injury to the eye such as a corneal scratch or ulcer, allergies, or even chronic problem such as dry eye. The fact that one eye now looks cloudy is very concerning - this could be due to a severe corneal ulcer, an infection or inflammatory reaction inside the eye, glaucoma, or a cataract. Eye problems like this need prompt attention because there is a risk of permanent damage or even vision loss the longer it goes without treatment. Because of this, I would recommend taking Diesel to an emergency vet today - he/she can examine his eye and use a special stain if needed to check for an ulcer or other injury, and will prescribe appropriate medication to treat the problem depending on what is found.

Lily could have cataracts causing this cloudy pupil, but it could also be due to an eye infection or glaucoma. The eye is such a delicate and important structure that any problem with it should be considered an emergency. That's because leaving it untreated can lead to vision loss. I would have Lily seen by a vet immediately, who can diagnose what is causing her cloudy pupil and can discuss treatment options with you.