Corneal dystrophies are a group of inherited eye conditions in dogs causing deposits in corneal tissue, with welfare impacts ranging from cosmetic changes to painful ulcers and significant vision loss.
Corneal dystrophies causing painful ulcers (epithelial and endothelial forms) represent significant welfare problems in affected breeds. Dogs with epithelial dystrophy experience recurrent painful spontaneous corneal ulcers - erosions in the outermost layer that cause the same intense pain as corneal ulcers from any other cause. Endothelial dystrophy causes progressive corneal edema that leads to bullous keratopathy - painful fluid-filled blisters on the corneal surface that rupture to form ulcers. Vision loss accompanies these changes, further reducing quality of life. The hereditary nature of these conditions means that affected dogs were predictably fated to develop them - breeds with high rates of dystrophy require health testing programs to reduce prevalence.