Our hospital offers several Ophthalmology Services for your pet. Ophthalmology is the branch of medicine that deals with diagnosis and treatment of diseases that affect your pet's eyes and vision. Signs your pet may need to have their eyes examined can include red or irritated-looking eyes, or when a pet has suffered head or orbital trauma.
Common conditions that affect pets eyes include cataracts, dry eye, cherry eye, extra eyelashes, abnormal eyelid conformation, corneal ulcers (scratches), glaucoma and retinal detachments. Some eye conditions may indicate more significant internal disease (like kidney disease or high blood pressure) so your veterinarian may recommend a thorough medical work-up for certain eye conditions.
Although the eyes are examined during routine wellness exams, sometimes, when problems develop, a more in-depth examination is necessary. When the doctor needs to perform this more detailed exam, he or she will often use a device called a tonopen. Through a processed called tonometry, the doctor is able to calculate and measure the intraocular pressure of the eye. This measurement is gathered by assessing the fluids within the eye. Other diagnostic tests that may be recommended include fluoroscein staining of the eye (administration of a yellow stain to the surface of the eye to look for a scratch on the surface of the cornea) or Schirmer tear testing (application of a strip of paper to assess the tear production).
Our veterinarians are equipped to diagnose and treat many eye conditions, however, if they feel your pet has more advanced eye disease or requires a specialist, they may recommend referral to a board-certified ophthalmologist such as Dr. Pumphrey at VCA South Shore in Weymouth.
If you are seeing your veterinarian for an eye problem, contact the staff before administering medications or ointments as these may prevent a full examination.