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Published on: September 16, 2025
736
Aging Dogs Manifest Myopia as Measured by Autorefractor.
Jerome Hernandez1, Cecil Moore2, Xuemei Si3
1Nestlé Purina Research, St Joseph, Missouri, United States of America.
Plos One
|February 11, 2016
Summary
Canine autorefractometry accurately measures visual function in aging dogs. This study found that dogs experience a myopic shift with age, potentially impacting their vision.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Ophthalmology
- Animal Vision Science
Background:
- Aging in dogs, similar to humans, leads to lens hardening, clouding, and UV-induced oxidative damage.
- The impact of these age-related changes on canine visual function remains a subject of investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the utility of autorefractometry for assessing visual function in dogs.
- To determine if age-related changes affect canine refractive error.
Main Methods:
- Nine Beagle dogs (1-14 years old) with healthy eyes underwent autorefractometry measurements.
- Spherical equivalent refractive error was recorded under direct and indirect lighting, with repeated measures over three days.
- Spearman correlation analyzed the relationship between refractive error and age.
Main Results:
- A significant myopic shift was observed with increasing age in Beagles, ranging from plano to -3.00 diopters.
- Younger dogs demonstrated greater accommodative ability, indicated by larger refractive changes between lighting conditions, suggesting lens flexibility.
- No significant differences were found in day-to-day or between-eye measurements.
Conclusions:
- Handheld autorefractometry is a viable and sensitive method for measuring canine visual function, adaptable to different lighting conditions.
- The age-associated myopic shift in dogs may negatively impact their visual capabilities.
