Exposure to toxic compounds, lack of nutrients, and systemic infections and inflammations during pregnancy are other possible causal factors for ocular abnormalities. Eye anomalies may be genetically inherited, can develop spontaneously or occur in utero. Unfortunately, many anomalies can disrupt the way the eyes function.Ĭongenital anomalies of the eyeball or its surrounding tissue can be evident in a dog or cat shortly after birth or may develop within the first six to eight weeks of life. To do this effectively, all the various components of the eye need to be healthy. The eyes convert reflected light into nerve impulses that are interpreted by the brain as images of the world. Vitreous fluid – A clear, jelly-like fluid that fills the space between the lens and the retina.Retina – the light-sensitive tissue that lines the inside of the eye and sends visual signals through optic nerve to the brain.Lens – a transparent structure behind the iris which ‘bends’ light rays to focus on the retina.

Pupil – the opening in the centre of the iris that allows light to pass through to the retina at the back of the eye.Iris – the coloured circle around the pupil, it changes the size of the pupil and allows varying amounts of light to enter the eye.Cornea – the transparent dome-shaped surface covering the front of the eye, it plays an important role in focusing vision.The eyeball is a complicated organ comprised of several structures, including the following: The eyeball of dogs and cats is located within the bony socket of the head and is partially protected by the three eyelids. This is also known as a congenital disorder or birth defect. An eye or ocular anomaly is a defect affecting the structure of the eye that is evident at birth, or shortly after. In medical terminology, an anomaly is an abnormality that is present at birth. What is eye (ocular) anomaly in dogs and cats ?

Misshapen pupil