Introduction
Glaucoma in dogs is diagnosed through a physical examination of the eyes. Specific instruments are used to determine the pressure levels within the eyes and, if necessary, advanced tools and diagnostics are used to determine how much damage to the eye(s) have occurred.
Diagnosing Glaucoma in Dogs
The start of a glaucoma examination and diagnosis usually begins with the opthalmoscopic examination which allows the veterinarian to view the structures of the eye and to determine if these structures have been damaged. If glaucoma is suspected, a tonometer tool is used to measure the pressure levels within the eyes.
Further in-depth examinations of the eye which can help to classify the type of glaucoma that is occurring, and how much damage has occurred to the eye, include gonioscopic and ultrasound examinations. Gonioscopic and tonometric evaluations take only seconds to minutes to perform, and they are painless due to numbing drops that are placed in the dog’s eyes before the examination is occurs.
The veterinarian may also conduct a vision test to see if the dog’s eye sight has been affected by the condition. These tests usually involve hand movements in the dog’s peripheral vision, and throwing a cotton ball around the room, to see if the dog can visually detect these subtle movements.
Glaucoma may either occur as a condition on its own or as a symptom of another condition such as cataracts or cancer. To rule out any possible causes of glaucoma that would require treatment as well, additional blood tests are usually prescribed as part of the glaucoma diagnosis.