Last week Asa and I visited the dog ophthalmologist to have our eyes examined again. This was my annual appointment to make sure my eyes continue to be fine as I grow older. For Asa, this was his six month check up to monitor cysts in his eyes. We have a family history of an eye disease called Golden Retriever Pigmentary Uveitis, which is controllable if caught early.  So off we went for a long drive to meet with our friend Dr. Marrion.

Benign, fluid filled iris cysts are common in Golden Retrievers. An iris cyst originates from the tissue on the back side of the iris, and then breaks loose and floats into the front chamber of the eye, behind the cornea and in front of the iris. These cysts typically do not adversely affect vision, and Asa can go about his life and never have any problems. However, this does mean though that Asa has a risk factor for developing Golden Retriever Pigmentary Uveitis. But the good news is Pigmentary Uveitis is controllable if caught early. Hence why we go for these checkups with a specialist which are beyond what our regular veterinarian normally does during our annual physicals.

So first the good news, Dr. Marrion said my eyes continue to be “perfect.” But of course, I am perfect, and would expect nothing less. Although I admit my exam went less than perfect in that I really don’t like having a light shined in my eyes or that part of the test where she shoots a puff of air into my eyes to test the pressure. While I wiggled, Dr. Marrion did smile that my eyelashes are still growing back after the unrelated cyst was removed from my eyelid last fall.

Asa, on the other paw, well he surprised us. Despite my stern warning after his first visit with the dog ophthalmologist to not grow more iris cysts, Dr. Marrion found more. Now don’t panic…which is what Mom wanted to do. Dr. Marion emphasized this doesn’t mean Asa will ever develop this disease.  As she explained, all grapes are fruit, but not all fruits are grapes.  Ok, so I started daydreaming about food and stopped listening for a moment.  However, from what I gathered, all cases of uveitis have cysts, but not all cysts are uveitis.  Therefore, Asa can live his entire life with these cysts and never have a problem. Yet it is important that he receives regular monitoring by a specialist, and that we look for warning signs such as red, irritated, swollen eyes, a discharge or watery eyes.

So lucky Asa will get to take this ride to Massachusetts again in four months to be rechecked. In the meantime, Mom will continue to put drops in his eyes every night to dilate them. It’s important to keep the fluid in his eyes circulating. Cysts can obstruct the flow of fluids in the eyes, making it possible for the cornea and the lens to stick together, and for pressure to build. This pressure can lead to glaucoma and cataracts which are common complications in Golden Retrievers with Pigmentary Uveitis. Therefore regular monitoring is important.

Now I want to emphasize, I’m not a doctor, and can’t answer any questions or concerns you may have about your dog.  We recommend having a conversation with your veterinarian and breeder.  For us, there is a family history of this genetic disorder.  Therefore, we had a reason to schedule wellness eye exams. However, it is also good as your dog ages to have the eyes checked anyways. Pigmentary Uveitis tends to be diagnosed in Golden Retrievers age 8 or 9 years old.  So although my eyes tested normal two years in a row, I’ll continue to have an annual eye exam to make sure there are no changes.  As for Asa, I promise to keep you updated on his eyes, and in the meantime please rest assured that he continues to be his happy-go-lucky, goofy self.