Eye diseases

The study of ophthalmic diseases, or eye diseases, in dogs aims to identify genes that account for hereditary eye diseases such as cataract, glaucoma and retinal degeneration and to develop gene tests to assist breeding. Gene tests enable us to identify healthy and affected individuals, as well as carriers of the mutated genes, and make the systematic prevention of diseases possible. Gene tests also allow for the carrier dogs to be kept in the breed to maintain the breed's genetic diversity. The indentified disease genes can also be tested on humans, and if a common gene is found, the diagnoses and treatment of also our human eye diseases can be improved.

On these pages You will find information on several canine eye diseases and their genetic background. Samples from all hereditary eye disease affected dogs are welcome even though we would not have a ongoing project on that specific disease yet. New projects are continuously started as number of samples increases.

Please do not hesitate to contact us should You have any further questions:

Maria Kaukonen, DVM (maria.kaukonen@helsinki.fi)