Which inherited eye defects occur in the Siberian Husky?
Although there are many possible eye defects, only three are known to be of current concern in the Siberian. These are bilateral cataracts, crystalline corneal opacities, and progressive retinal atrophy. Each attacks a different portion of the eye. They occur in both sexes and regardless of whether the iris has blue, brown, or blue and brown pigment. When sufficiently severe, each can cause loss of visual acuity and eventual blindness. Eye defects in Siberian Huskies are serious and should not be understated or overlooked. Bilateral cataracts, sometimes called “juvenile cataracts” to distinguish them from those that may occur in the aged dog, or “developmental cataracts” as opposed to the degenerative type that result from injury, toxicity, or systemic disease, are manifested as an opacity or cloudiness of the lens if the eye of the relatively young dog. The lens is a rather simple structure, having no blood supply of its own. Its function is to focus the rays of light so that they for
