Glaucoma: a self-assessment

A 5-year-old, female, Springer Spaniel presented with a widely dilated pupil in the left eye. A history of blue cornea was noted 2 days before. The owner felt that she seemed to have lost her vision in that eye, as she had bumped into things a couple of times on that side. The dog seemed depressed, had stopped eating the previous night and was now reluctant to walk. The owner had noticed these changes and wondered whether they had any relationship to her recent spay.

On arrival, the dog's left eye had a brisk dazzle reflex but did not respond to a menace and had no pupillary light reflexes (direct or consensual). The neuro-ophthalmic examination of the fellow eye was within normal limits.

Question 1 — Describe the ocular abnormalities (Figure 1a, 1b).

Answer — The left eye had mild protrusion of the third eyelid, episcleral congestion (not easy to see on the photographs), diffuse corneal oedema and fixed mydriasis (aniscoria).