Cataracts in dogs – signs and what to do

Updated 2026-09-30 · 1 sources

Based on: PDSA

Book a vet visit

Book a vet appointment if you think your dog has this – a vet needs to confirm it and plan the treatment. Cataracts are cloudy patches in the lens of a dog's eye that can cause blurry vision and potentially blindness.

What to do now

What you can do now

Contact your vet
Note when it started, how often it happens and what else you see
Take a photo or short video to show the vet
Keep fresh water available
Let your dog rest somewhere calm

Don't

Do not give any human medicine
Do not wait if it gets worse

What it is

A cataract is a cloudy patch in the lens of a dog's eye that causes blurry vision and potentially blindness.^[1] Cataracts may develop slowly, so their signs are not always obvious.^[1]

Signs

Cloudiness in the affected eyes
The affected eyes stop reflecting in night-time photographs
Reduced vision
Pain

gradual

Causes and risk factors

Old age
Diabetes
Eye injury
Glaucoma (high pressure inside the eye)
Lens luxation (when a lens moves out of its normal position)
Uveitis (inflammation inside the eye)
Progressive retinal atrophy
Hereditary cataracts

How vets treat it

Surgery
Eye drops or ointment

Breeds prone to this

Veterinary charities list these breeds as more likely than others to get this condition. Each breed page lists the inherited conditions documented in the breed.

What the experts say

“Old age ; Diabetes ; Eye injury ; Glaucoma (high pressure inside the eye) ; Lens luxation (when a lens moves out of its normal position) ; Uveitis (inflammation inside the eye) ; Progressive retinal atrophy ; Hereditary cataracts ; Nuclear sclerosis”
— PDSA [1]

If your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, is having a seizure or can't stand up: go to the nearest vet now.

Not sure how serious it is?

OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.

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Common questions

What are cataracts in dogs?

A cataract is a cloudy patch in the lens of a dog's eye that causes blurry vision and potentially blindness.^[1]

What signs can cataracts cause?

Signs can include cloudy eyes, eyes that stop reflecting in night-time photographs, reduced vision and pain.^[1]

How are cataracts treated?

Cataracts can be treated by surgically removing them. This is a delicate procedure performed by a specialist eye vet and is not suitable for every dog because of potential risks.^[1]

Sources

PDSA

How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages