Glaucoma is a serious eye condition that often leads to blindness and is characterized by increased intraocular pressure that progressively damages the optic nerve. Depending on its origin, glaucoma may affect one or both eyes.
The optic nerve plays a crucial role in vision—it transmits the images captured by the retina to the brain in the form of nerve impulses, enabling sight.
Aqueous humor is the fluid inside the eye. In a healthy eye, this fluid is continuously produced and drained in balanced amounts. However, if the drainage pathways are blocked, fluid can accumulate, increasing intraocular pressure and potentially causing irreversible damage to the optic nerve.
Glaucoma in Dogs and Cats
Glaucoma leads to progressive vision loss. In its early stages, it can develop slowly and without noticeable symptoms. Early detection and treatment are essential to prevent irreversible vision loss. In advanced stages, ocular symptoms become evident, but at that point, the eye is usually blind and painful.
Signs of glaucoma may include:
How Can We Treat Glaucoma in Dogs and Cats?
There are two main approaches to treating this condition. Initially, intraocular pressure is managed with medical therapy, mainly eye drops. However, as glaucoma progresses, it often becomes unresponsive to medical treatment, and surgical options must be considered.
At IVeM, we use advanced techniques for surgical treatment of glaucoma in dogs and cats. These include implanting valves inside the eye to facilitate fluid drainage and reduce intraocular pressure, as well as diode laser application to decrease aqueous humor production.
Filtering Surgery for Glaucoma
This procedure involves placing a valve—known as a gonioimplant—inside the eye to facilitate the drainage of aqueous humor into the conjunctiva. This helps regulate intraocular pressure and prevents damage to the optic nerve head.
The gonioimplant is a small device placed in the iridocorneal angle, the structure responsible for aqueous humor outflow. Its purpose is to create a new drainage pathway for the fluid, thereby reducing intraocular pressure and protecting the optic nerve.
After the surgery, we monitor intraocular pressure with pressure curves to ensure that the device is working correctly and that long-term pressure control is achieved. The effectiveness of the gonioimplant may vary depending on the type of glaucoma and the individual characteristics of each animal. Therefore, proper patient selection is essential to maximize the chances of success.
Filtering surgery is an outpatient procedure—the animal is admitted in the morning and returns home later the same day.
The success rate of this surgery is high. However, for its effect to be long-lasting, regular follow-up exams are necessary—frequent at first and spaced out over time—as well as occasional adjustments to the gonioimplant in the long term.
If you suspect your pet may have glaucoma or shows any signs of eye disease, don't hesitate to schedule an appointment at IVeM. The best way to prevent glaucoma is through routine eye exams to detect early signs and identify anatomical abnormalities related to your pet’s breed.
