Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), or “dry eye,” is a disorder of the glands that normally produce the liquid part of tears, which in medical circles are called the “lacrimal glands.” Dogs with KCS don’t produce enough tear film to keep their eyes adequately lubricated. This causes the cornea and conjunctiva to become dry, thickened, red, irritated and inflamed. The cornea is the transparent, outermost part of the eyeball, sort of like the skin of a grape. The conjunctiva is the delicate membrane that lines the eyelids and a small part of the eyeballs. KCS is common in companion dogs. If it is not properly diagnosed and managed, it can lead to painful corneal ulceration, eye infection, impaired vision and even total blindness.
Dry eye (keratoconjunctivitis sicca or “KCS”) can occur in any dog. Most cases of KCS are thought to be caused by an auto-immune or immune-mediated disorder, which means that the dog’s immune system is targeting, attacking and damaging the functional tissue of its own tear glands. How or why this happens in dogs with dry eye is not well-understood. The mechanisms of the immune system are extraordinarily complex, and research is constantly underway to try
Dry eye (keratoconjunctivitis sicca or KCS) is a painful and potentially dangerous condition caused by the inadequate production of tears. The eyes of affected animals – especially the outer covering of their eyeballs (the cornea) and the lining of their eyelids (the conjunctiva) – become dry, rough, red, inflamed, sensitive and fragile. Unfortunately, this condition is quite common. Dogs with dry eye have varying degrees of discomfort, ranging from mild to extremely severe. Their eyes
Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), more commonly referred to as “dry eye,” is not especially difficult to diagnose. When an owner brings his dog to the veterinarian with a recent history of rubbing and pawing at the face, build-up of crusty or pus-like discharge in the inner pockets of the eyes, swollen or twitching eyelids, excessive squinting and blinking and eye redness, the veterinarian’s initial evaluation will be relatively straightforward. He will take a complete history from
Dry eye (keratoconjunctivitis sicca or “KCS”) is a fairly common condition in companion dogs that involves insufficient production of tears. Depending on the cause of dry eye, it may or may not be curable. However, it almost always is manageable on an outpatient basis. The goals of treating dry eye are to: 1) stimulate tear production, if the tear glands can still function; 2) stabilize the tear film, so that it stays in the eyes