Canine glaucoma is a painful, vision-threatening condition caused by elevated intraocular pressure. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential to preserve comfort and sight in affected dogs.
Glaucoma causes significant, often underappreciated pain in dogs. Elevated IOP creates constant headache-like pressure that affects behavior, appetite, and activity levels. Many owners attribute behavioral changes to aging rather than pain, leading to delayed diagnosis. Acute glaucoma is an emergency — vision loss can occur within hours of pressure spikes. Even with treatment, many dogs eventually lose vision in the affected eye, but enucleation often dramatically improves quality of life by eliminating chronic pain. Dogs adapt remarkably well to monocularity or even blindness when pain is resolved. Regular tonometry screening in predisposed breeds allows earlier intervention.