Cataracts — Dogs

The story behind the answer

Cataracts are characterized by a cloudy, whitish or bluish opacity of the eye’s lens, common in senior dogs. This lens clouding scatters light and blurs vision, giving the pupil a milky look. Unlike glaucoma, which raises eye pressure and is often painful with redness and tearing, cataracts themselves aren’t painful unless they lead to complications. They’re distinct from normal “nuclear sclerosis,” a mild blue haze in older dogs that usually doesn’t impair vision much.

Cataracts can be hereditary or linked to diabetes in dogs and are treatable with surgery (phacoemulsification) in suitable candidates. Memory tip: Cataract = “C for Cloudy lens.” Age-related macular degeneration and presbyopia are primarily human terms; dogs don