Golden Retriever and Eye Health

Golden Retrievers are a breeder that have issues with their eyes. Pigmentary Uveitis or "Golden Retriever Uveitis" is a progressive disease of the Golden Retriever characterized by the appearance of pigment in the front part of the dog's lens. The disease is associated with the development of glaucoma and, in one study, 46% of the eyes with pigmentary uveitis did become blind because of glaucoma ( Sapienza et al, 2000).

When planning breedings, affected individuals should not be bred and breeders are encouraged to ask questions about pigmentary uveitis in the parents of, and littermates to, prospective breeding dogs. Close relatives should be bred only after consultation with a veterinary ophthalmologist and should not be bred into affected lines. Unfortunately, a late age of onset (mean of 8.6 yrs, +/- 2.1 yrs) makes this disease difficult to manage in a breeding program.