What is Lenticular Sclerosis?
Sometimes called nuclear sclerosis, lenticular sclerosis is the term given to a discoloring of the eye that affects pets. The phenomenon occurs primarily in older dogs and cats, and does not usually require any treatment.
-
Cause
-
Veterinarians do not fully understand why lenticular sclerosis occurs, but believe that the condition is related to the hardening of the lenses in an animal's eyes as it ages, explains Harbor Animal Hospital.
Symptoms
-
Lenticular sclerosis usually affects both of an animal's eyes rather than just one. The condition appears like a cloudy gray or blue film on the pupil or black part of the eye.
-
Time Frame
-
Dogs typically develop lenticular sclerosis between the ages of 6 and 8, reports PetPlace.com. In cats, the condition usually occurs at age 9 or older, according to Harbor Animal Hospital.
Features
-
Lenticular sclerosis does not seem to affect an animal's vision, nor is it painful. Because of this, veterinarians do not treat the condition, explains PetPlace.com.
Considerations
-
Cataracts can also cause a discoloration of the pupil in dogs and cats, and this condition does diminish vision. Although cataracts are usually white rather than gray or blue, it is important to have any discoloration of the eye diagnosed by a veterinarian, even if the pet owner believes the cause to be lenticular sclerosis.
-
