Today, my 13 year old Australian Shepherd Levi was diagnosed with
night blindness. Not knowing much about this condition, I wanted to
share the information I found to help save you some of the worry I
experienced. It’s important to understand what it is, how it impacts
you and your dog and what, if any, treatments exist.
Research is also being conducted using gene therapy as a possible treatment for inherited vision loss. Since Levis is more of a progressive problem and he can still see during the day and make his way around at night with the aid of night lights, I have chosen not to pursue any additional treatment options.
So what is Night Blindness?
It is a non-painful disorder where the cells in the retina can no longer adjust for vision in dark lighting conditions. Essentially, the dog can not longer see well enough to discern contrasting images under dim light.The Cause of Night Blindness
In dogs, night blindness is a genetic disorder. Therefore, it cannot be prevented and typically affects older dogs. In humans, night blindness can be the result of vitamin A defiency, cataracts, medications and birth defects.Symptoms
- Dilated pupils
- Shininess in the eyes
- Clumsy / Disoriented
- Hesitant moving around in the dark
How is Night Blindness Diagnosed?
You need to take your dog to a veterinary ophthalmologist for an eye exam. The vet will want to dilate your dog’s eyes so they can evaluate the status of their retina (atrophy), blood vessels and optic nerve (head of the optic nerve can shrink).Treatment Options
There is no cure and it can lead to progressive blindness in the day. While lack of vitamin A is not a widely accepted cause of night blindness in dogs, it does support retinal health. Vitamin A is a fat soluable vitamin that may help slow the deterioration of your dog’s vision once it has begun. I will be starting Levi on an eye supplement program. One that contain vitamin C, E A, zinc and copper.Research is also being conducted using gene therapy as a possible treatment for inherited vision loss. Since Levis is more of a progressive problem and he can still see during the day and make his way around at night with the aid of night lights, I have chosen not to pursue any additional treatment options.