It’s not uncommon to look into an older dog’s eyes and see a cloudy film or opacity over their eye lens. In some dogs, it’s nothing to be worried about and simply a sign of aging. For others, it can be an indication of cataracts.

Healthy lenses are transparent or clear and allow for incoming light to pass through to the retina. Cataracts or cloudy lenses prevent the light from passing through and leads to decreased vision and in extreme cases, total blindness.

According to the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, cataracts can occur in both younger and older dogs and can be caused by genetics, diabetes, trauma, a nutritional imbalance, or a disease that affects the vascular tissues deep in the eye.

Diabetes is the most common disease associated with cataracts in dogs, according to the American College Of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ACVO).

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How Much Does Cataract Surgery for Dogs Cost?

Cataract surgery for dogs can cost between $2,500 and $4,000, says Dr. Megan Conrad, D.V.M. and veterinary advisor at Hello Ralphie, a telehealth company for pet parents. Conrad notes that the cost can vary depending on your location, the individual veterinarian, whether or not your dog has cataracts in both eyes or just one, and any underlying conditions your dog may have.

Factors That Affect the Cost of Cataract Surgery

  • Where you are located. Whether you live in a large metropolitan area versus a smaller, more rural part of the country will factor into the cost of the surgery.
  • Number of eyes affected. If your dog has cataracts in both eyes as opposed to one eye, that will increase the cost of the surgery.
  • The size of the dog. Larger dogs will need higher amounts of anesthesia and other medications, which will increase the cost of the procedure.

Other Vet Visit Costs

Pet Owners May Encounter Different Types Of Costs At The Vet Including:

What’s Included in the Cost of Cataract Surgery for Dogs?

Before moving forward with any medical procedure, it’s always smart to confirm with the veterinarian performing the surgery what exactly is included in the final price. You may be surprised to find what is and isn’t included.

For instance, the cost for cataract surgery typically includes the preoperative examination, anesthesia, the surgical procedure itself and the post-operative care in the hospital, Conrad says.

What’s Not Included in the Cost of Cataract Surgery for Dogs?

Like most surgical procedures, any expenses on top of the surgery may not be included in the cost quoted by your vet.

Other things that are often not included in the final price for cataracts surgery include:

  • Pain medications or antibiotics for at-home care
  • The cost of the pre-op exam
  • Pre-anesthetic bloodwork that some vets require before any surgery
  • Follow-up visits
  • Treatment for any complications that may arise due to the surgery

Is Cataract Surgery Required for Dogs?

According to Conrad, cataract surgery isn’t required for dogs but is the “gold standard” for treating a dog suffering from the abnormality.

“There are currently no medications that will reverse cataracts,” Conrad says. “Without surgery, your dog will most likely lose their vision permanently at some point, as well as potentially developing painful eye conditions like glaucoma.”

Only a veterinary ophthalmologist can determine if your dog needs cataract surgery. Multiple factors will help them in making that decision, including your dog’s overall health and any underlying risks for general anesthesia.

The ACVO recommends dogs with cataracts undergo early surgical intervention to prevent full vision impairment later on.

Cataract surgery not only restores vision but it can prevent the progression of cataracts, which can lead to inflammation inside your dog’s eyes. Prolonged inflammation can lead to complications like retinal detachment or glaucoma, which is not only blinding but painful, according to the James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Colorado State University. It notes that the success rate of cataract surgery is 85% to 90%.

According to the Michigan State University Veterinary Medical Center, some dogs are not good candidates for cataract surgery if they already have the following health issues:

  • There is evidence of retinal disease
  • There is high intraocular pressure (glaucoma) prior to surgery
  • There is significant scarring of the cornea or inside the eye which will limit the view of the lens during surgery
  • There is evidence of a systemic illness, including a high temperature, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea
  • There are abnormalities in their bloodwork

What Is Recovery Like for Dogs After Cataract Surgery?

Cataract surgery for dogs is very similar to cataract surgery for humans. The surgeon makes a small incision into the eye and uses a special ultrasonic unit the size of a pencil lead to break the cataracts into small pieces which are then aspirated out of the eye, according to the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital.

The surgeon then places an artificial intraocular lens into the eye to restore the focusing power.

Potential complications include retinal detachment, inflammation of the eye, glaucoma, infection and hyphema (blood in the eye). Corneal ulceration, dry eyes and an increase in intraocular pressure can also occur after surgery.

Post-surgery, dogs usually are sent home with after-care instructions, including medicated eye drops and pain medication. They will also have to wear an Elizabethan collar to prevent them from rubbing at or scratching their eyes.

“The recovery period is usually about two weeks, and during that time you’ll be administering eye drops and possibly oral medications,” Conrad says. “Many dogs will have their vision restored soon after the surgery procedure.”

According to the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, follow-up care involves:

  • Eye drops and possibly oral medications (anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics)
  • Eye drops the first week, between four to six times a day
  • Follow-up visits one week, three weeks, and then every three to six weeks for a couple of months post-surgery
  • Visits every six months to every year for the rest of the pet’s life, especially for those pets who will required to be on life-long medication

Does Pet Insurance Cover Cataract Surgery for my Dog?

Not all pet insurance companies will cover the cost of cataract surgery for your dog, but it is your responsibility to confirm your coverage and see what’s covered before you agree to the surgery.

Conrad notes that many pet insurance policies don’t cover pre-existing conditions. So if the cataracts was present prior to the policy coverage starting, or determined to be hereditary, then your pet insurance may not cover the cost of the surgery.

Thankfully, there are other ways to pay for the surgery, if it’s determined your dog needs the procedure.

Many veterinary clinics offer flexible payment plans that will split the final bill into manageable monthly payments spread over a certain amount of time. This is a great option if you don’t have the cash upfront to pay the full cost of the procedure.

If your vet clinic doesn’t offer a payment plan, there’s also the CareCredit credit card, which is designed to be used for medical expenses, including veterinary care expenses.

If you do opt to use CareCredit, you should double check that your veterinary provider accepts the card before applying. The card offers short-term financing options (of $200 or more) with six, 12, 18 or 24 months of no interest—but only if you pay the full amount due by the end of the promotional period. This caveat is essential to take note of; if you don’t pay the amount in full by the time the zero-interest period is over, you’ll be charged interest from the original purchase date. The card’s interest rate at the time of publishing is 26.99%, which means your balance will balloon if you don’t pay it in full by the time the zero-interest period is over.

Another increasingly popular option for funding veterinary bills is crowdfunding on sites such as GoFundMe and Waggle. If you do opt to turn to crowdfunding, you should take note of any service fees charged by the platform. GoFundMe also has a list of 12 charitable sites that will help pet parents pay their vet bills.

Can Cataracts Be Prevented?

Unfortunately, cataracts are not a preventable condition, so dog parents can’t do much to avoid the surgery.

“If their dog is diabetic, make every effort to keep their disease stable, as this condition can lead to cataracts,” Conrad says. “Also, some dog breeds are more prone to cataracts than others.”

According to the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine “dog breeds that are predisposed to cataracts include cocker spaniels, poodles, Boston terriers, schnauzers, Labrador retrievers, and Shih-Tzus, among others. These breeds may develop cataracts earlier in life.”

In addition to feeding your dog a healthy, balanced diet and providing regular exercise, dog owners should take their dog to the vet on a regular basis to help detect the early signs of illnesses such as cataracts.

Symptoms of Cataracts in Dogs

According to the American College Of Veterinary Ophthalmologists, cataracts can look like “small spots, a cracked-ice appearance, a diffuse milky haze, a ‘pearl-like’ sheen, or white streaks.”

It can also impact a small part of your dog’s eye before it progresses to take over even more of the lens.

According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, “because dogs can often use their keen senses of hearing and smell to compensate for loss of vision, it can be difficult for a pet owner to detect cataracts at an early stage.”

Dog owners should look for “signs of vision loss such as bumping into things or having trouble finding food and water dishes,” Conrad says.