- Details
Octobers Case of the Month stars Jasper - a 5 year old male Pekingese with an unusual case of Dry Eye.
Dry eye is a medical condition where tear production is reduced or even stops completely. This results in chronically dry cornea (the clear surface of the eyeball). The technical name for Dry Eye is Kerato-Conjunctivitis Sicca (KCS). The photograph below shows a typical case - the eye has a matt appearance with a thick sticky discharge and small dimples can be seen on the corneal surfaceNatural tears have many important functions which are lost in KCS: they carry vital nutrients, oxygen and lubricate and cleanse the eye which helps protect against infection. Without tears the eye becomes very dry and uncomfortable. As bacteria and day to day debris (pollen/dust etc) builds up, infections naturally develop and a chronic Conjunctivitis ensues. If left over time the chronic irritation results in scarring on the corneal surface. This has a dense black appearance which cannot be seen through. Once this scarring develops it is permanent so every effort must be made to stop it from occurring. Worse case scenarios result in the cornea becoming weak and thin and ulcers can develop which run the risk of the globe (eyeball) itself rupturing.