Aging canine cornea, part II

摘要

Abnormalities of the aging canine cornea may represent specific disease entities or may simply be the culmination of lifelong insult to the ocular surface. Inherited dystrophies play a role in certain breeds such as the Boston terrier. Metabolic diseases more common in older patients can have a detrimental impact on the geriatric cornea, as is the case with hyperadrenocorticism. More often the factors responsible for corneal changes have been present for years, altering the surface environment and predisposing the cornea to vascularization, pigmentation, lipidosis, calcification, and fibrosis. Most problems seen in the aging canine cornea have no simple solution. As a general rule, control of these age-related disorders may be a more realistic expectation than cure.