Eyes - swelling

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The front chamber of the eye is filled with fluid that is produced continually. This drains through special pores at the base of the iris. If these pores become blocked, the amount of fluid builds up such that the pressure within the eye increases. This results in swelling of the eyeball (glaucoma) which is very painful and has the effect of damaging the retina causing blindness.

Glaucoma can also occur secondary to a luxation of the lens, seen more commonly in terrier breeds. This causes deposition of material that blocks the drainage pores.

Protrusion of the eye ball can also occur due to swellings behind the eye resulting from tumours or abscesses.

What your veterinarian will want to know

Your veterinarian will want to know how long the problem has been present. A long standing glaucoma will probably have resulted in permanent retinal damage such that blindness is inevitable.

What your veterinarian may do

Your veterinarian will want to determine whether the protrusion of the eyeball is due to an enlargement of the eyeball itself resulting from glaucoma or from some swelling behind the eye.

A special instrument called a tonometer measures the pressure within the eyeball and so helps to confirm the presence of glaucoma. Ultrasound is useful to examine structures behind the eye and may also be useful to guide needles to drain abscesses or collect biopsies to analyse tissues.