Todayโs path rounds are on ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ฌ!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ฌ are the most important condition affecting the ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ฌ of the eye, which orients light entering the eye onto the retina. Normal lenses are perfectly clear, but in cataracts they end up becoming cloudy!
๐๐ก๐จ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
Any species can get this! We most commonly see this in older animals or animals with ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฎ๐ฌ.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
There are many different causes of cataracts, including ๐๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐๐ฅ (animal was born with it), trauma to the eye, ๐๐ง๐๐จ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐๐ฌ๐ (disease of hormone-producing organs), nutritional problems, exposure to sunlight and even some toxins. However, most cases of cataracts do not have one specific problem identified. In these cases, it is thought that the accumulation of environmental, dietary and other problems throughout the entire lifespan of the eye eventually causes a cataract. This is potentially why these are more common in older animals.
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ?
As mentioned, the lens is supposed to be perfectly clear! When a cataract occurs, the lens fibres lose their transparency, causing the lens to become clouded. These animals typically show signs of blindness. While cataracts are not painful, the lens is at an increased risk of rupture or ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง (slipping out of position), which can be extremely painful. Additionally, continued degeneration of the lens fibers may lead to lens fibre material being released into the liquid components of the eye, causing severe inflammation.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ฌ๐๐?
Diagnosis is generally fairly straightforward, as the cloudiness of the lens is easily identified on examination of the eye.
How is it treated?
Treatment typically involves surgical removal of the lens by a process called ๐ฉ๐ก๐๐๐จ๐๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ข๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง. The remaining eye will still not be visual, but it removes some of the risks associated with cataracts!
๐๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ฌ
1-4) Examples of eyes with cataracts!
5-6) What cataracts look like under the microscope! Normal lens fibers are very long. In cataracts, they become round and plump, which are called ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ ๐ง๐ข๐๐ง ๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ. Pretty!
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ
Maxie, G. Jubb, Kennedy and Palmerโs Pathology of Domestic Animals, Volume 1. Sixth Edition.
Gelatt KN. Lens. Merck Veterinary Manual 2015.
Photos 1-6 ยฉ Noahโs Arkive contributors Dhein, Crowell, Ward, Leipold, Ramos licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
