10 Facts About Your Dog’s Eyes

1. Dogs are not entirely color blind.

Dogs see yellow and blue colors better than red or green colors. This is because dogs have fewer cones in their eyes that allow color vision.

2. Dogs can see better than humans at night

This is because they have more rods in their eyes. This allows for better vision in dim light.

3. The back of the eye, called the retina, has a layer called the tapetum lucidum,

The tapetum lucidum causes a bright shine to the eye when light reflects off it. This causes the glowing effect to the eye and also helps them see better in dim light.

4. Newborn puppies’ eyes will open 10-14 days after birth.

Once the eyes open, puppies still have poor vision for several weeks.

5. The “eyebrows” are actually called Pips.

While dogs don’t have true eyebrows, they do have brow ridges and facial muscles that allow for those adorable facial expressions.

6. Dogs see around 240 degrees where humans see 180 degrees.

So dogs have better peripheral vision. Some sighthounds, like Greyhounds, can see 290 degrees!

7. Humans have selectively bred dogs to have large eyes.

Humans prefer animals with large eyes as they appear more infant-like. However, this has created some problems. Pugs, Shih Tzu’s, and similar breeds may have such shallow eye sockets and large eyes that the eye may pop out. They can also have trouble lubricating the eyes causing dry eye due to this conformation.

8. Dogs have a third eyelid.

This is the pink tissue you may see extending across part of the eye when your dog is sleepy or not feeling well. The main function of the third eyelid tissue is tear production and keeping the eye moist.

9. Older dogs often develop a cloudy or hazy appearance to the lens of their eye.

This is called lenticular sclerosis or nuclear sclerosis and is a result of age changes to the connective tissue of the lens. This is not the same thing as a cataract.

10. Cataracts in pure breeds are most commonly an inherited problem.

The second most common cause of cataract formation is secondary to diabetes mellitus.

Read more:

Blindness in Cats and Dogs

Top 3 Diseases of the Surface of the Eye (Cornea) in Dogs

Top 3 Causes of Conjunctivitis in Dogs

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