Lenticular Sclerosis
Lenticular Sclerosis
Lenticular sclerosis is a hardening and thickening of the lens fibers that occurs as a normal aging process. The lens becomes blue-gray, and the pupil appears cloudy.
What's really going on
The lens of the eye sits behind the colored iris; its job is to bend light rays to produce a sharply focused image upon the retina. As new lens fibers are formed, older fibers cannot exit the lens capsule so get pushed toward the lens center. With time and aging, this process turns the crystal-clear lens cloudy due to the compressed fibers.
Lenticular sclerosis does not cause blindness though in advanced cases depth perception and near vision may be less accurate. Animals usually retain enough vision to function well within a familiar environment. Occasionally owners will think the cloudiness comes and goes, but this is more likely due to alterations in the size of the pupil based on lighting conditions.
How a specialist helps
No treatment is required for lenticular sclerosis unless a true cataract (opacification of the lens) forms in addition to lenticular sclerosis. Regular veterinary ophthalmic examinations can help distinguish between lenticular sclerosis and cataracts, and monitor for any changes that may require treatment.