Finding out that your dog has lost his or her vision can at first be overwhelming and devastating. The onset of the vision loss can be very sudden (in a matter of hours) or progress very slowly (over a period of years). With sudden vision loss, the clinical signs tend to be easy to recognize. Dogs may act confused or disoriented, may bump into stationary objects, may not find or catch their treats, and may be reluctant to go up or down stairs.

Depending on the cause of the vision loss, treatment may be available to restore your dog's vision. A complete ophthalmic exam will help determine the cause of the vision loss and what treatments are available.

If there is no available therapy to help restore vision, the first step is to make sure that your dog is comfortable. While most dogs adapt very well to the vision loss on their own, a little help from you will make the transition a bit easier. Several hints on how to help your dog adapt are outlined here. Additional information can be found at the Vision for Animals webiste or in the book "Living with Blind Dogs".