Disease Ontology ID: DDTO:0000802

Disease Description: A condition where the lens in the eye is displaced into an abnormal position.

Inherit Mode: The mode of inheritance is not defined.

Disease Symptom: Inherited (primary) lens luxation occurs in young to middle-aged animals of 4 to 7 years. The lens usually displaces forward into the anterior chamber. In older animals, the lens displaces more easily backwards into the vitreous space. A lens that displaces forward into the anterior chamber will often cause increased pressure within the eye leading to glaucoma. This is an emergency, as increased intraocular pressure can cause blindness within several hours. Your dog will experience intense pain and tearing of the eye, as well as reduced vision. With these signs, your dog should see your veterinarian immediately to prevent irreversible loss of vision. Other signs of lens luxation are that your dog's eyes may appear asymmetrical to you or the affected eye may look cloudy. Sub-luxations and posterior luxations may ultimately result in glaucoma as well. In predisposed breeds, lens luxation often occurs in both eyes at the same time, or in the second eye within a few months of the first.

Disease Cause: -

Disease Diagnose: With an anterior luxation, your dog mayshow intense pain (rubbing, pawing at the eye), tearing and visual impairment associated with glaucoma. Alternately, your dog may show no clinical signs associated with the lens luxation (usually a sub- or posterior luxation) and your veterinarian may observe an ocular abnormality during a routine physical examination. He/she will examine your dog's eye with an ophthalmoscope and measure the intraocular pressure. This can usually be done withlocal anaesthetic drops placed in your dog's eye.

Treat Method: Treatment depends on the location of the lens (anterior or posterior), the presence or absence of acute glaucoma, and the potential for vision. With sudden anterior lens luxation, your veterinarian will immediately start medical therapy for glaucoma. The lens should be surgically removed as soon as possible. If the intraocular pressure is elevated, then surgery is urgent to prevent permanent damage to the retina and optic nerve. Pressures over 50 mm Hg will cause such damage within hours. For dogs with anterior lens luxation that have become blind, glaucoma can be treated by removing the globe of the eye (enucleation). This will eliminate the pain for your dog. There are also procedures that can be done that preserve the globe such as placing a prosthesis. Posterior luxated lenses are difficult to remove surgically. As long as the lens can be maintained in that position, problems with vision are less likely. Long-term eyedrops can be used to keep the pupil small and the lens behind it.

Breeder Advice: Dogs that have experienced lens luxation should not be used for breeding. However this condition often does not occur before 4 to 7 years of age, making it difficult to identify affected dogs before they are used for breeding.

Disease Description Source: Link