Jack Russell eye disorders

Common eye disorders in Jack Russell terriers

Ectopia lentis, also known as lens luxation, is the most common eye disorder passed down in generations of Jack Russell terriers. It is a dislocation of the lens within the dog's eye.

Posterior luxation is where the lens slips to the back of the eye, and anterior luxation refers to it slipping to the front of the eye. Posterior is less serious, because the Jack will still have normal sight out of the affected eye.

In anterior luxation, the lens can interfere with and possibly damage the cornea. This can lead to damaged eye sight or even glaucoma in some cases, leading to partial or full blindness.

Your vet can treat ectopia lentis with surgery. The disorder occurs mostly between the ages of 3 and 8 years old.

Cataracts are a common eye disorder in older Jack Russell terriers, as with humans and other mammals. Cataracts is when the eye lens hardens, characterised by cloudiness in the eye.

The dog's vision will be blurred, and the condition can lead to blindness if left untreated. Again, cataracts is treatable by your vet in its early stages.

While mainly hereditary and down to old age, Jack Russells are also known to get cataracts due to diabetes, radiation, eye injury, or very high temperatures.

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