My own dog came inside from romping through the paddocks yesterday with a squinty eye.

It reminded me to share a few simple hints of what to look out for to ensure your pet’s vision is “20/20”:

The eyelids.  Dogs and cats have similar upper and lower eyelids to us, although they are rather more hairy!  The eyelids blink and close to protect the eye and distribute the tear film.  Our pets also have another internal “third eyelid” which appears as a white or pink hairless membrane which may protrude a little from underneath the lids.  If it is red, inflamed or swollen it needs to be assessed by a vet - to check for irritation from grass-seeds, dirt, or trauma to the eye.

The tears.  It is normal for our pets to have a little clear fluid around the eyes.  The tear film, like ours, lubricates the eyes and flushes out minor irritants.  Unfortunately they sometimes collect debris from the environment, or form a goopy substance which sticks to the hair around the eyes… but if you can gently wipe it away with a soft damp cloth or saline, and the tears do not seem to be excessive or infected (green or yellow discharge), then that is acceptable.

The pupil.  The central dark area in the eye should dilate to appear large and black in dim light.

Incidentally, if your pet is frightened or “adrenalised”, this will also occur.  In bright light, the pupil constricts, and appears much smaller, to allow less light in.  In cats you see the oval pupil become a thin narrow slit, whereas in dogs it shrinks to a small black dot.

If you think your pet has a serious eye problem, check: Do the eyes look symmetrical?

A sore eye often has a squinting eyelid, or red membranes, or excessive tears or discharge.

It might or simply look “different” from the other eye.   If in doubt, get it checked out.

As for my dog - he just needed the grass pollens wiped off his face, and a big sleep on the sofa.

Happy Christmas 2020!