Posterior Lenticonus with Congenital Cataract in a Shih Tzu Dog.

Abstract

A seven-month-old, male Shih Tzu dog weighing 3.7 kg had an immature cataract in its left eye. A biomicroscopic examination revealed numerous vacuolations in the posterior cortices with nucleus cataracts, covered by an intact anterior lens capsule. The changes observed by ocular sonographic examination (OSG) of the left eye were hyperechoic, and a funnel-cone shape was observed posteriorly with cortex hyperechogenicity in the lens. The left eye was diagnosed as having a posterior lenticonus with congenital cataract. Phacoemulsification was performed on the left eye as diagnostic treatment of the posterior lenticonus and cataract. Postoperative OSG on the left eye revealed a V-shaped linear echo that was indicative of a posterior capsule of the lens. Moreover, it was confirmed that hyperechoic cataract material inside the lens had disappeared.

Update on veterinary cataract surgery

“…This is imperative due to the advanced stages of cataracts often seen in our patients precluding evaluation of the posterior segment. B-scan ultrasound using a 10 mHz probe is used to evaluate for vitreal degeneration/asteroid hyalosis, retinal detachment, posterior lenticonus, PHPV/PHTVL, axial length of the lens and globe and presence of spontaneous lens capsule rupture [8, [13][14][15]. It has been shown in the canine eye that the prevalence of vitreal degeneration and retinal detachment increases with progression of cataract [15].…”