Cataracts in diabetic dogs: cloudy eyes, eye drops, surgery and life after sight loss

Why do diabetic dogs get cataracts?

Inside each eye is a lens, a small clear window. When there's too much sugar around it, the lens turns the extra sugar into something that pulls water in. The lens swells and clouds over, and that cloud is the cataract.

It's one of the most common things diabetes does to a dog. Most diabetic dogs develop cataracts, many of them within the first year after diagnosis.

It isn't a sign that you've done something wrong. Good control can't promise he won't get them: cataracts can form even in dogs whose diabetes is well managed. And a cataract changes how he sees, not who he is. He'll still know your voice, his bowl and his favourite spot.

Cataracts can also be the first thing that shows a dog is diabetic. If his eyes have turned cloudy and he's also drinking and peeing more, the signs of diabetes in dogs are worth reading.

Signs of cataracts in a diabetic dog

The first thing most owners notice is a cloudy, white or bluish look in the middle of the eye. You might also see him hesitate on stairs, bump into doors or furniture, miss a treat you toss, or struggle more in dim light or at night.

Diabetic cataracts often come on quickly, sometimes within a few weeks. If his sight changes, call your vet rather than waiting for the next check-up. It's also worth asking for an eye check when diabetes is first diagnosed, while his eyes still look clear.

Not every cloudy eye is a cataract. Many older dogs get a hazy blue look that doesn't block their sight much, and only a vet can tell the two apart.

A red, sore or squinting eye is different again. If he's rubbing an eye, keeping it shut or it looks red, call your vet the same day. Red, painful, dry or cloudy eyes explains why.

Why a cataract still needs the vet, even without surgery

A cataract isn't only a sight problem. As it develops, it can set off inflammation inside the eye, and that inflammation can damage the eye if it isn't treated.

Left alone, it can lead to glaucoma, where the pressure inside the eye rises. Glaucoma is painful and hard to treat, and sometimes the eye has to be removed.

That's why vets often prescribe anti-inflammatory eye drops as soon as a diabetic cataract is found, whether or not surgery is planned. Give them exactly as your vet says, and go back for the eye checks they book.

Signs that his eye is getting sore: squinting, redness, rubbing, tears, keeping the eye shut, or being quieter than usual. Any of those means a call to your vet.

Do eye drops dissolve cataracts in dogs?

No eye drop has been shown to dissolve a cataract or bring back sight. You'll find bottles sold online that promise to clear the cloud. They are not the answer.

The drops your vet prescribes are there to calm inflammation and protect the eye. They have no effect on the cataract itself.

A specialist drop meant to slow a diabetic cataract has shown some effect. It doesn't clear a lens that is already cloudy, and it isn't a bottle from the internet. If you're curious, ask a vet eye specialist.

Never use human eye drops or old leftover drops in his eyes without your vet's say. Some contain steroids, and steroid drops can push a diabetic dog's sugar up. Do eye drops or supplements prevent cataracts? goes through it in more detail.

Is cataract surgery worth it for a diabetic dog?

Surgery is the only way to remove a cataract and bring sight back. It's done by a vet eye specialist, who removes the cloudy lens and usually puts in a clear artificial one.

Not every dog is a good candidate. Before surgery, the specialist checks that the back of the eye still works with a special test, that there's no other eye disease, and that his diabetes is steady enough for an anaesthetic. Diabetes or age alone don't rule him out.

For dogs who are good candidates, surgery works in most of them, and they get their sight back. Being assessed early matters, because long-standing inflammation can damage the eye so much that sight can't be saved.

Surgery isn't risk-free. Inflammation can carry on, the pressure in the eye can rise, the back of the eye can have problems, and occasionally an eye has to be removed. Ask the specialist about his own odds, including whether Labradors tend to have more trouble afterwards.

Afterwards there's a lot of care at home: several kinds of eye drops, a cone, quiet walks and repeat eye checks, and drops and checks often carry on after the cone comes off. Steroid eye drops can raise his sugar. A short course often needs no insulin change, but if the drops run on for weeks, or he drinks and pees more, tell your diabetes vet. Keep giving every drop the eye vet prescribed. My diabetic dog is going blind has the questions to ask.

Life with a blind diabetic dog

If surgery isn't right for him, or you decide against it, that isn't the end of a good life. Many dogs with cataracts live happy and full lives. A dog's world is made of smells and sounds as much as sights, and with a little extra patience and a few changes at home, he can thrive.

Keep his world steady. Leave the furniture, his bed, food and water where they are, and keep walkways clear. Put gates at the top of stairs, and keep him on a lead near roads and water.

Talk to him as you come close, especially before you touch him or give his injection, so he isn't startled. A calm routine of meals and insulin at the same times helps him feel safe.

Many blind dogs still love their walks, their toys, their dinner and their people, and they still come running when they hear the lead. A comfortable blind dog can be a happy dog. A sore, red or squinting eye still needs the vet the same day. Keeping a blind diabetic dog safe at home has more simple ideas.

What to ask your vet

Ask whether he should see a vet eye specialist, and how soon. Ask which drops he needs, how often, and for how long, and whether any of them could affect his sugar.

Ask whether he could be a candidate for surgery, and what would change that. Ask which signs mean you should bring him back straight away.

Write down when you first noticed the cloudiness, any bumping or hesitation, and any redness or squinting. Home testing, glucose curves and notes for your vet has a simple way to keep notes, and diabetic dog health problems and ageing covers the other problems that come with time.