Eye Injury in Dogs: Symptoms, Causes & What to Do

What is an eye injury?

An eye injury is any form of physical trauma to the eye. Examples of eye injuries in dogs and some potential causes include:

• Corneal laceration (cut or scratch to the eye's surface sustained while playing with or fighting other animals, commonly dogs and cats) 
• Corneal ulcer (from chemicals, debris, splinters, or other foreign materials entering the eye, or excessive rubbing)
• Puncture wound (from any foreign object) 
• Eyelid trauma
• Blunt trauma, dog bite wounds, or other forces applied to the head that can cause bleeding in the eye or other serious damage, such as the eye popping out of the socket (proptosis)
• Ruptured globe (eyeball)

 A ruptured globe is an eyeball with full-thickness defect in part of the eye's wall. This serious injury is a veterinary emergency. It is very painful, difficult to repair, and can leave your dog blind. If it occurs, you might be able to see a visible hole in the eye. Trauma (such as a severe scratch or puncture to the eye, hitting the eye on something sharp), deep ulceration, cancerous tumors, and other eye conditions and diseases like glaucoma (high pressure inside the eye) are common causes. 

Because eye injuries can lead to permanent scarring or blindness, you should take your dog to a veterinarian right away for diagnosis and treatment if you notice symptoms of an eye injury. If you can see a foreign object, do not attempt to treat an eye injury at home without the advice and/or supervision of a professional veterinarian. 

How can I tell if my dog has suffered an eye injury?

Eye injuries are common in dogs and vary greatly in severity. If your dog has sustained an eye injury, the eye will likely be irritated and your pup will likely experience pain. To prevent your dog's eye injury from becoming more severe, it is important to take your four-legged companion to a vet as soon as possible if you notice these symptoms:

If you are curious about whether your dog's eye injury matches visible signs of these injuries in other dogs, you can search for pictures online. Just type "dog eye injury" and the symptom you're concerned about into your favorite search engine. For example, if your dog appears to have bloodshot eyes, you could search the term "dog eye injury bloodshot eyes". However, it's important not to make a diagnosis based on information you may have found online.

Whether you notice your dog's eye is cloudy after they've suffered an injury, or if they've experienced the other signs listed here, or you witnessed the injury occur but haven't noticed symptoms, always see a vet as soon as possible. They will assess your dog's specific injury, definitively diagnose it, and provide treatment. In some cases, your veterinarian may also refer you to a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist for advanced diagnostic testing and treatment. 

Parts of the Eye 

To grasp how a dog's eye and vision can be affected by an injury, we should have a basic understanding of some the important parts of your dog's eye. Here are brief descriptions for the parts of the eye we'll be discussing here:

Eyelid

The upper and lower eyelids are thin folds of skin that can cover the eye and reflexively blink to protect the eye. Blinking also helps spread tears over the eye's surface to keep it moist and clear away small particles, preventing the particles from damaging the eye. 

Cornea

The cornea is the clear dome on the eye's front surface. It helps to protect the front of the eye, lets light in, and plays an important role in focusing light on the retina at the back of the eye. Because the cornea is critical for proper vision, it is important to address any injuries promptly. 

Sclera 

The sclera is the white of the eye. This relatively tough outer layer of the eye is covered by a thin membrane called the conjunctiva, located near the front of the eye. The conjunctiva runs to the edge of the cornea and covers the inside of the eyelid. 

Iris

The circular, colored area of the eye is called the iris. It controls the amount of light that enters the eye by making the pupil larger or smaller. 

Lens

The lens sits behind the iris and changes its shape to focus light onto the retina. Small muscles (ciliary muscles) contract to cause the lens to become thicker, which allows the lens to focus on nearby objects. The ciliary muscles can relax to allow the lens to become thinner to focus on distant objects. Lens changes are limited in dogs. 

Retina  

The rentina contains the cells that sense light (photoreceptors). The area centralis is the most sensitive area of the retina in dogs. It contains thousands of tightly packed photoreceptors that make visual images sharp. Each photo receptor is attached to a nerve fiber, and all nerve fibers are bundled together to form the optic nerve. The photoreceptors in the retina convert the image to electrical impulses that the optic nerve carries to the brain.

Types of Eye Injuries 

These types of injuries can be classified as either simple or complicated.  

Simple 

The cornea or the sclera may have been penetrated or perforated. In the case of a penetrating injury, the wound or foreign object pierces the cornea or sclera. If a perforating injury has occurred, the wound or object passes through the cornea or sclera. 

Complicated 

This type of eye injury is more serious and involves a perforating injury to the cornea or sclera in addition to other structures of a dog's eye, which can include the lens, iris, eyelid, or retina. 

Diagnosis of Eye Injuries in Dogs 

Prompt diagnosis and treatment are essential to give your dog's injured eye the best chance at healing. Your veterinarian or veterinary ophthalmologist will take careful notes about the injury and the incident that's suspected to have caused it.

The vet will use a focal light source or slit lamp to perform an ophthalmic exam on your dog's eye, checking for trauma. Your dog's pupil size and reflexes will also be assessed. This will help a vet or veterinary ophthalmologist learn the severity and extent of the damage, and determine which parts of the eye have been affected. 

Your vet may use a simple diagnostic device called a Tono-Pen or TonoVet tonometer to check the intraocular pressure (how soft or hard the eye is) in your dog's eye. Changes in intraocular pressure can be used to diagnose diseases like uveitis (an inflammatory condition) and glaucoma. A fluorescein stain, a simple diagnostic test, may be used to check for a corneal ulcer (wound or scratch on the eye's outer surface). An orange stain is applied and any defects will appear under blue light. 

How are eye injuries in dogs treated?

If your dog has been diagnosed with an eye injury, treatment options will depend on the type and severity of your dog's specific injury, diagnosis, and needs. 

When you first bring your dog into to see the vet, they may apply local anesthetic eye drops to help alleviate sensitivity and pain. Antibiotic eye drops and other medication may be used to prevent infection and provide pain relief.

etro However, more complicated cases like ulcers that have become infected, deep lacerations, or penetrating injuries may be referred to a veterinary ophthalmologist for advanced treatment.

In cases where the eyeball (globe) has ruptured, this emergency should be treated with surgery as soon as possible to prevent serious complications. Enucleation (eye removal surgery) is most often advised to manage a ruptured globe. This procedure can eliminate pain and is preferred over long-term use of medications. 

Never try to treat or manage a dog's eye injury at home without seeking emergency veterinary care. Applying the wrong eye drop or using a cleaning solution that may irritate the eye may have serious consequences and make the situation worse (and reduce your dog's chances of a good prognosis or recover). 

Prognosis & Recovery for Eye Injuries in Dogs

Your dog's prognosis and chances of recovery after sustaining an eye injury will depend on the severity and type of injury, your dog's age and health status, and whether the injury is promptly diagnosed and effectively treated. 

Depending on the type of eye injury, it may take your dog a few days or weeks to recover. A simple corneal ulcer will typically heal within seven days and an eyelid injury that's been surgically repaired should heal within 7 to 10 days. However, deep ulcers or penetrating injuries may require weeks of intensive treatment or longer to heal. 

Your vet or veterinary ophthalmologist may provide post-surgical or at-home instructions to help you manage your dog's eye injury and recovery. If this is the case, follow the instructions closely, contact your vet about any questions or concerns you may have, and attend followup appointments as scheduled so your vet can check the progress of your dog's recovery. 

Sadly, despite receiving the best possible veterinary care, some dogs may still experience permanent scarring in the injured eye or blindness as a result of their injury. 

Note: Northwest Animal Eye Specialists specializes in treating eye conditions and illnesses. The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical or behavioral advice regarding pets. Please make an appointment with your vet for an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition.

Do you have questions about your dog's eye injury, diagnosis or treatment? Contact our Renton eye specialists today or ask your primary care vet for a referral.