Ophthalmic consultation

[elaine.e]

Poor Bella At least you now know what the problems are.

William's cataracts are checked every 6 months and after a period of change in the first year after diagnosis, and the ophthalmologist saying that if they continued to worsen he would need surgery, they stopped changing and have remained the same for about 3 or 4 years now. The ophthalmologist says William's vision must be like that of a person wearing scratched sunglasses day and night but it doesn't seem to bother him and at the moment he doesn't need surgery.

I believe there are different types of cataracts, so Bella's may be different to William's, but did the consultant give you any indication if surgery might be an option, or perhaps a necessity, if the cataract develops? Or is that something that the ultrasound will answer?

[lozzyf]

The ultrasound will answer that. . . Although his worry was if the eye that re absorbed the cataract did so ( and that's why the retina detached) he didn't want that happening to the other. . .
We have an A4 piece of paper that tells us all about the surgery but wonder if anyone else has had this dilemma ?
He thinks the cataracts could well be congenital but obviously as she was from many tears the breeders either didn't know or didn't care ( I suspect the latter) then it makes you think that there must be siblings or offspring with the same problem out there with owners that are unaware.

[elaine.e]

I don't know if William's cataracts are congenital. His dad definitely didn't have them and his mum didn't when she was about 6 or 7, but I lost contact with the breeder many years ago, so I don't know for sure.

There was someone who used to post on here whose Cocker had cataract surgery when she was about 11 or so and I know it made a huge improvement to the quality of life of her Cocker. She doesn't come on COL now though, so won't see this.

It's sad to think that there are siblings and offspring who likely have cataracts too. It seems that many of the Cockers that come from puppy farms and are taken on by Many Tears and other rescues have eye problems.

[revis]

Poor Bella as if she hasn't been through enough in her life. As long as she is pain free I am sure that she will cope. This is the problem with these awful puppy farms all the breeders want is moey no thoughts at all to the poor dogs. A difficult time for you. Willbe thinking of you and of course Bella.

[lozzyf]

Poor Bella At least you now know what the problems are.

William's cataracts are checked every 6 months and after a period of change in the first year after diagnosis, and the ophthalmologist saying that if they continued to worsen he would need surgery, they stopped changing and have remained the same for about 3 or 4 years now. The ophthalmologist says William's vision must be like that of a person wearing scratched sunglasses day and night but it doesn't seem to bother him and at the moment he doesn't need surgery.

I believe there are different types of cataracts, so Bella's may be different to William's, but did the consultant give you any indication if surgery might be an option, or perhaps a necessity, if the cataract develops? Or is that something that the ultrasound will answer?

So because the cataracts haven't changed there isn't any need for surgery and he's not bothered by them?
I'm trying to understand where the "tipping" point is for surgery    although as I said earlier the consultant has worries about re absorption!!!!