Many people want to know if their pet’s eye problem is serious enough to warrant consultation with a veterinarian or a veterinary ophthalmologist.
Some of the signs your pet may exhibit that could indicate an eye problem include the following:
- Change of vision
- Cloudiness
- Ocular discharge
- Squinting
- Tearing
- Redness, swelling of tissue around the eye
- Change in size of the eye
- Change in size of the pupil of the eye
- Discomfort , pain, rubbing
Any one or more of the above indicates a potentially serious problem that could cause blindness. Many sight-threatening conditions can occur suddenly. Cataracts can appear overnight. Glaucoma can come on within a matter of hours. Don’t hesitate to call your veterinarian and let him or her help you decide if it is an emergency. Your veterinarian will also help you to decide whether a consultation with a specialist would be helpful.