Treatment with vitamin A has been reported to improve vision in dogs in early stages of the disorder, but long-term prognosis remains doubtful. The lens is the part of the eye which functions to bring objects to correct focus on the retina. A cataract is any opacity occurring in the lens affecting its transparency. In most cases the formation of cataracts is associated with abnormal water and calcium content within the lens substance. Severity of the disorder ranges from non-progressive and slight, in which there may be no interference with vision, to progressive, in which there is a slow and gradual loss of transparency.
Many dogs are able to see quite well despite the existence of lens opacities.
There is no current method for treatment of cataracts other than surgical removal. Often excessive folds of loose skin or the presence of shortened eyelids may be the cause of the disorder. Though ointments may be used to reduce inflammation and irritation, surgery is usually required to correct entropion. The method of surgery removes a margin of skin perpendicular to the inverted lid. The incision is then sutured which causes the edge of the inverted lid to roll away from the eye.