A healthy dog’s eyes should be clear, bright and free from dirt, discharge and inflammation (redness). The whites of the eye should be white, not red or yellow.
Common signs that your dog may have an eye problem include:
- Red inner eyelids
- Matter ‘stuck’ on the surface or in the corners of the eye
- Cloudiness within the eyeball
- A dull eye surface
- The ‘third eyelid’ coming across the eye which looks like a pink curtain or fold of membrane
- Excessive tearing or unusual discharges
- Tear-stained fur around the eyes
Eye tests used to diagnose eye problems in dogs include:
- Fluorescein stain test to identify the presence of corneal ulcers or defects in the surface of the eye
- Schirmer Tear Test to measure the level of tear production
- Eye pressure measurement to detect glaucoma
- Ophthalmoscopy to look at the internal structures of the eye