Glaucoma is a painful and vision-threatening condition in dogs caused by elevated intraocular pressure, requiring urgent treatment to prevent permanent blindness.
Acute glaucoma causes intense pain — the headache-equivalent pressure experienced by dogs is severe. Many owners do not recognise glaucoma as painful because dogs stoicise so effectively; they may simply present as quiet or depressed. Delays in treatment cause irreversible blindness and prolonged pain. Enucleation, while appearing drastic, is often the most humane outcome for a chronically painful blind eye — dogs adapt remarkably well to monocular or even binocular vision loss. Prophylactic treatment of the unaffected eye in unilateral primary glaucoma cases is essential to prevent the same fate befalling the remaining eye. Pain management throughout the disease course must be a priority.