kidney failure in dogs red eyes
Kidney Disease, Dialysis, and Your Eyes
Eye problems can happen without any warning signs, even if you have late stage kidney disease or kidney failure. High blood pressure and diabetes can also increase your risk for eye disease. Therefore, its very important to ask your nephrologist (kidney doctor) about your eyes and if you should see an eye doctor (either an ophthalmologist, a medical doctor who specializes in eye diseases and eye surgery, or, an optometrist, a doctor of optometry, who can do eye exams and vision tests, prescribe glasses, and, find and treat certain eye diseases). If you have diabetes, you should see an ophthalmologist regularly. Not taking care of your eyes can lead to a medical emergency or permanent blindness. The good newsis that if you take care of problems early, you can save your eyesight.
Common eye problems for people with kidney disease or who are on dialysis
Dry, red, and sore eyes that feel gritty. These symptoms may occur because of impaired blinking and tear formation, leading to dry eyes. Extra calcium and phosphate can also settle in the eyes and cause irritation. As shown in the picture below, the cornea, conjunctiva, and sclera can be affected. Controlling calcium and phosphate levels in the blood and keeping eyes moist with lubricant eye drops can help. Problems other than kidney disease can cause these symptoms, so you need to see an eye doctor to find the right cause.
Retinopathy happens when diabetes and/or high blood pressure damage the small blood vessels in the retina. Retinopathy progresses over time and there are no symptoms until the vision is affected. Sometimes damaged vessels form scar tissue that causes a detached retina. A detached retina can lead to vision loss or blindness, and must be treated immediately. If you have any sudden changes in your vision such as flashing lights or dark spots, get to the doctor or hospital right away.
Glaucoma happens when fluid inside the eye builds up because it cant drain well. This causes increased intraocular pressure (IOP) inside the eye. This extra pressure squeezes the blood vessels that bring oxygen and nutrients to the optic nerve at the back of the eye. The optic nerve sends signals to the brain, and the brain changes these signals into images that you see. When too much pressure builds up in the eye, the optic nerve can become damaged. This damage slows or stops the signals to the brain and can lead to partial or total vision loss. High blood pressure and diabetes may be risk factors for glaucoma. Dialysis may also cause pressure changes within the eye.
Finding eye problems
An eye exam will show how well you can see and if you have an eye disease. If theres a problem, your eye doctor may refer you to your primary doctor. If your eye doctor is an optometrist, you may be sent to an ophthalmologist. Tell your healthcare team right away if you have:
- Blurry, double, or cloudy vision
- Pain or pressure in one or both eyes
- Trouble seeing things out of the corner of your eyes
- Floating or flashing lights
- Dark spots
Keeping your eyes healthy
Controlling high blood pressure and diabetes is important for your kidneys and your eyes. Follow your doctors recommendations for diet, exercise, and medicine. Check your glucose levels and blood pressure as recommended by your doctor. Quit smoking smoking increases the risk for cataracts and glaucoma. Make sure that any drugs you take for your eyes or for any other reason are the proper dose. Kidney disease and kidney failure can affect how drugs work in your body, therefore, many drugs need to be a special dose for people with low kidney function or for those on dialysis.
The good news is that if you go to regular eye exams, you can slow or stop more damage from eye disease, and even prevent blindness.
How Can Kidney Disease Affect Your Eyes?
This article discusses the association between kidney disease and eye health.
How can kidney disease affect your eyes?
Kidney disease can impact your eye health.
Kidney disease hinders your bodys ability to filter out toxins and waste through your urine. A buildup of these substances can affect your vision.
If your kidneys arent functioning properly, substances such as calcium and phosphate
- swelling around your eyes
- a sense of dryness and grittiness
- redness
However, kidney disease is not the only health condition that can cause these symptoms. Because of this, you may wish to contact your doctor to rule out other potential causes.
If you experience these symptoms, keeping your eyes moist with eye drops may provide some relief.
Uremic optic neuropathy is another possible complication of kidney disease. It occurs when the optic nerve becomes damaged. This condition is a rare cause of vision loss in people with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, it is potentially reversible with treatments such as hemodialysis and steroids.
Learn more about the complications of chronic kidney disease.
Dialysis treatment for kidney disease can also cause changes in your eye pressure, which
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, can be both a cause and effect of CKD.
High pressure in your kidneys blood vessels can damage them, hindering their ability to filter excess fluid and waste from your blood. This, in turn, further increases blood pressure, creating a harmful cycle.
This cycle can also negatively affect the retinal blood vessels in your eyes, resulting in hypertensive retinopathy. Effective treatment for this condition
Learn more about the link between hypertension and CKD.
Diabetes is a risk factor for kidney disease. According to the
If you have diabetic eye disease, you may experience changes in your vision such as floaters, blurriness, and cataracts.
Like hypertension, diabetes can also damage the small blood vessels in your retinas, leading to retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy is
Diabetic retinopathy doesnt cause noticeable symptoms until it starts to affect your vision. Symptoms you may experience include floaters, flashing lights, or dark spots.
A detached retina resulting from diabetic retinopathy can lead to permanent vision loss. If you experience any symptoms of diabetic retinopathy, seek prompt medical attention.
Learn more about what diabetes does to your eyes.
What other symptoms can kidney disease cause?
Early stage kidney disease typically does not cause noticeable symptoms. However, any condition that impacts your kidney function can cause the following symptoms:
Learn 6 symptoms never to ignore if you have kidney disease.
What are the treatments for kidney disease?
Managing your kidney disease may help prevent or relieve eye symptoms associated with the condition.
To protect your kidneys, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases recommends:
- managing any underlying conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure
- maintaining a moderate weight
- taking medications that reduce your risk of kidney failure as prescribed
- quitting smoking
- working with a dietitian to develop a healthy eating plan
- regularly monitoring your kidney health
Kidney disease can progress into kidney failure, which requires treatment through dialysis or a kidney transplant.
Learn more about the outlook and life expectancy for people with kidney disease.
Kidney disease can affect your eyes in multiple ways. A buildup of substances such as calcium and phosphate in your body can end up in your tears. This can cause eye redness and irritation.
Other eye conditions related to kidney disease include glaucoma and diabetic eye disease. Glaucoma causes damage to your optic nerve, which can lead to vision loss. Diabetic eye disease can cause you to see flashing lights or dark spots. It can also lead to vision loss.
Diabetes and hypertension are both common causes of chronic kidney disease. They can damage blood vessels in the eye and lead to retinopathy.
Kidney disease can also lead to vision loss, known as uremic optic neuropathy. This is a rare but often reversible condition.
Talk with your doctor about ways to protect your eyes and kidneys.
The Link Between Chronic Kidney Disease and Eye Health in Pets
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is one of the most common disorders affecting the aging pet population and also occasionally impacts pets in earlier life stages. CKD often develops over months to years, but signs usually do not become apparent until pets lose greater than 75% of their kidney function. CKD complications can occur at any stage, sometimes before the owner knows their pet has the problem.
The Veterinary Vision Center team understands how CKD impacts pet health and, more importantly, how this common ailment can impact eye health. Many pets with CKD develop high blood pressure (i.e., hypertension), which can further damage the kidneys as well as several other major organs, including the eyes. We share the fundamentals about CKD, hypertension, and related eye concerns.
What is chronic kidney disease?
Chronic kidney disease is a slowly progressive condition that leads to reduced kidney function over time. The kidneys serve many complex functions and interact with other organs and systems to maintain homeostasis. Their main function is filtering the blood to remove waste products and unnecessary substances during urine formation, while conserving water, minerals, electrolytes, glucose, and proteins. The kidneys also have hormonal functions that contribute to blood cell production, hydration, and blood pressure regulation.
CKD disrupts normal kidney functions, leading to myriad signs and symptoms, including increased thirst and urine volume, reduced appetite, nausea and vomiting, bad breath, anemia, and weight loss. The condition most often strikes senior pets, although inherited disorders may impact younger pets. CKD treatment includes a special diet to reduce kidney workload, supplemental fluids to prevent dehydration and flush out toxins, appetite stimulants to slow down weight loss, and medications to address various complications and symptoms.
How is chronic kidney disease related to hypertension?
At least 20% of pets with CKD develop hypertension, which is likely related to changes in the levels of hormones that regulate heart and blood vessel function. CKD is graded on a one through four scalemost pets are not diagnosed until owners notice signs at home, when pets have already reached stages two or three. Hypertension can strike pets in any CKD stage, which means hypertension can be the first sign that the kidneys arent working effectively.
Hypertension puts extra stress on the kidneys, which can worsen CKD and speed up disease progression. Therefore, treating a pets hypertension is a crucial aspect of CKD care and can also help prevent damage to other target organs, including the brain and eyes.
How does hypertension affect eye health?
If you think back to physics class, you may recall that pressure gradients dictate how fluids move in space, which is also true inside the body. High pressure inside a blood vessel causes fluids to leak out into the surrounding spaces. The eyes are especially sensitive to this process, and pets with hypertension may develop blood or fluid leakage inside or underneath their retina, resulting in variably sized hemorrhages, swollen blood vessels, and partial or complete retinal detachmentcausing blindness in many cases. Hemorrhage can also occur in the front eye chamber (i.e., hyphema) and temporarily obstruct vision.
How do veterinarians diagnose and treat CKD hypertension and related eye conditions?
Unfortunately, sudden blindness can be the first sign of CKD-related hypertension. One or both of a pets eyes may become extremely dilated, and the pet may bump into familiar objects or get lost inside your home. In some cases, an examination of the back of your pets eyes will show a damaged or detached retina, and in others, pets will appear completely normal at home or show only minor vision changes, but your veterinarian will notice retinal changes during their routine examination.
Retinal changes should prompt your veterinary team to check your pets blood pressure. Consistently high readings indicate hypertension and require prompt treatment to prevent further eye or other body system damage, and to reverse retinal damage and restore vision. Vision loss may be permanent in some cases. Several prescription medication classes can bring down blood pressureyour veterinary team will start your pet on one daily medication, and then make adjustments until blood pressure is back in the normal range.
Can I prevent CKD-related eye concerns in my pet?
Frequent wellness visits and routine wellness screening tests with your primary veterinarian are the most effective ways to detect CKD or hypertension in the early stages, before eye, brain, or kidney damage occurs or worsens. We recommend visiting your primary care provider at least yearly for adult pets and twice yearly for seniors.
Your pets eyes are not a closed systemthey receive nourishment from the body, and disease in other body systems and organs can impact their health. Our Veterinary Vision Center team is skilled in diagnosing and treating eye conditions caused by chronic kidney disease, and we will work closely with your family veterinarian to achieve the best outcome. Call us to schedule an initial consultation if you are concerned about your pet, a routine check-up if they have existing kidney disease, or a preventive screening for your senior four-legged friend.
