When I took Darla in for her eye exam a few weeks ago, I also took Zach for his exam. We knew he was completely blind when he arrived, and based on our own cursory exam and our long experience in observing blind dogs, I didn't think there was much chance of restoring his vision. That turned out to be the case.
In the photo above, our relief ophthalmologist, Dr. Vivian Jamieson, is using the slit lamp while vet tech Patty holds Zach. Dr. Jamieson concluded that Zach had gone blind from Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration Syndrome, or SARDS. In her write-up on her findings, she wrote: "Unfortunately this is a a permanent retinal condition with no treatment to reverse the blindness. Despite multiple research projects on this condition, our profession has come up with more questions than answers to this condition and we still do not know what the underlying cause is."
The good news is that his eyes are comfortable and, barring the development of any other disease, should stay that way. He is one happy boy who has adjusted well to blindness. What he hasn't adjusted to his new diet, however, and he continues to question why he needs to be on one. Hmm.
Rolling Dog Farm Blog 
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