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By Dr. Carmen Colitz, DVM, PhD, DAVCO, MBA, DCLOVE and Dr. Johanna Fava, DVM, PhD
Vision plays a crucial role in your dog’s quality of life. Whether chasing a ball or watching your every move, their eyes help them experience the world. As dog owners, we want to make sure we’re doing all that we can to ensure that our dogs are healthy, including their eye health.
Proactive care for your dog’s eyes is an important part of keeping them healthy. The American Kennel Club and Animal Necessity highlight why proactive care and eye exams are an important part of your dog’s wellness routine.
Identifying Common Eye Conditions Early
Like people, dogs can develop eye conditions that may impact their vision and comfort. Some of the most common include:
- Cloudy lenses, often seen with age or various eye conditions, including cataracts.
- Dry eye, which leads to irritation and sometimes vision impairment, from poor tear production
- Diabetes, which may cause eye discharge and cloudy eyes.
- Glaucoma, which can cause redness, bulging eyes, watery discharge, pain, and vision loss.
Routine eye exams help detect these issues early— before they interfere with your dog’s daily life. Catching eye conditions early allows for better treatment outcomes and healthier life for your dog.
How Often Should Your Dog Have an Eye Exam?
A general wellness check may include a basic eye screening by your primary veterinarian, but a Board-Certified Veterinary Ophthalmologist can perform a much more detailed evaluation. This is especially important for dogs that may be genetically predisposed to eye problems.
Some commonly affected breeds include Cocker Spaniels, Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Boston Terriers, Poodles, French Bulldogs, Yorkshire Terriers, and Shih Tzus.
For most dogs, annual visits to get eye checkups are enough to make sure everything looks as it should. This is particularly important in senior dogs, who are more likely to experience eye problems. If your dog is among the breeds prone to eye conditions, you may want to consider going every six months instead. This is also a good framework if they have known eye issues that may need extra checking up on.
If your dog is showing any signs of pain or discomfort, you should bring them for an eye exam immediately. If they have been diagnosed with diabetes, or are showing signs of squinting, cloudiness, discharge, redness, swelling, or behavioral changes, you should also take them as soon as you can. The best time to protect your dog’s vision is before any problems begin.
Supporting eye health early helps your dog maintain clear, sharp sight throughout their life. A proactive approach, starting with preventative care and antioxidant support, can help make a different. Talk to your veterinarian about adding eye-support supplements to your dog’s daily routine. The right combination of nutrients can help maintain clear vision and long-term vitality.
Staying ahead of vision issues helps preserve your dog’s sight and well-being.
The Role of Supplementation in Eye Health
Nutrition plays a vital role in supporting ocular health. While balanced diets are beneficial, many pets do not receive targeted nutrition to benefit their eye health. This is where supplements and antioxidants come into play. If you have any questions or want to start using an antioxidant supplement, talk to your veterinarian.
Key ingredients found in supplements include grape seed extract, lutein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins C and E, and Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA). The first three comprise the “GLO” of Ocu-GLO® Vision Supplement, which helps support your dog’s eye health. These ingredients help boost protection of the cornea, lens, and retina, help protect against damage from UV light, helps alleviate dry eyes, and more.
High-quality supplements like Ocu-GLO® Vision Supplement are developed by board-certified veterinary ophthalmologists. It’s the first patented antioxidant blend formulated specifically to meet the needs of dogs and cats.
Ocu-GLO upports both normal vision development and long-term ocular health. Backed by science and widely used by veterinary specialists, it provides proactive care in a single daily supplement.
The best time to help your dog’s eye health is before any problems arise. Best practices support vision health by starting with a prophylactic “PRE”-active care approach. Talk to your veterinarian about the best ways to work antioxidant supplements into your dog’s diet and routine.
Good nutrition is one of the best ways to help protect your dog’s vision and overall well-being.
A balanced diet supports healthy eyes, while supplements provide extra protection against everyday stressors that can affect vision over time. Together, proper nutrition and antioxidant support play a vital role in maintaining your dog’s lifelong eye and body health.
Celebrating 20 years of innovation and dedication, Animal Necessity continues to lead the way in advanced, science-backed wellness solutions for animals. Our mission is rooted in providing the highest quality supplements to support the health and vitality of pets and wildlife alike. Visit our site to learn more and explore our full range of products.
This article is intended solely as general guidance, and does not constitute health or other professional advice. Individual situations and applicable laws vary by jurisdiction, and you are encouraged to obtain appropriate advice from qualified professionals in the applicable jurisdictions. We make no representations or warranties concerning any course of action taken by any person following or otherwise using the information offered or provided in this article, including any such information associated with and provided in connection with third-party products, and we will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages that may result, including but not limited to economic loss, injury, illness or death.
