Healthy eyes are important for a dog. In the event of changes and diseases, you should consult a vet quickly, as many eye conditions can only be treated well at an early stage.
Dogs use their eyes for orientation, searching for food and recognizing danger. Check your dog's eyes regularly and look for any abnormalities. Compare both eyes with each other: apart from the occasional difference in eye color, differences in the appearance of both eyes are always an indication of a disease.
Common signs of eye diseases are redness of the conjunctiva and eye discharge, possibly also rubbing, blinking and photophobia. These signs occur when the conjunctiva is inflamed, for example due to an infection or a foreign body. However, they can also indicate an injury to the cornea, inflammation inside the eye or an acute increase in intraocular pressure.
The lens can become cloudy with age. The dogs then gradually lose their ability to see. As they can still find their way around their familiar surroundings very well, the clouding of the lens (cataract) is not always noticed immediately. Sometimes, however, animals go blind quite suddenly without anything being visible in the eye. They then feel their way carefully, refuse to walk or bump into obstacles.
Injuries to the eye or eyelids should also be treated as quickly as possible. Deeper tears in the eyelids must be sutured so that they can continue to close properly and protect the eye from drying out. Cover the injured eye with a damp cloth or apply a light head bandage and take the dog immediately to a vet, preferably one who specializes in ophthalmology.