Today we want to talk about nuclear sclerosis, better known as lenticular sclerosis which is a phenomenon affecting animals and rarely humans. Specifically, there is a hardening of the tissue that covers the lens of the eye. As we all know, the crystal is the transparent natural lens of the eye and together with the cornea it helps to focus the light rays on the retina. When our pet is suffering from nuclear sclerosis pupils take on a gray-blue color.
Nuclear sclerosis, as mentioned earlier, modifies the lens of the eye and usually develops in both eyes simultaneously. Animals older than six years are more at risk: the problem starts slowly and worsens overtime. It does not cause pain and the animal adapts gradually to these changes in vision without too much trouble.
In young animals, which are obviously not affected by this disease, the eye lens is clear and this is because it is composed of tissue fibers that are perfectly organized and in good health. Obvously, with age, these fibers will grow old with the animal and as they are closed within the capsule they have no ability to expand when they receive new fibers. As a consequence, old fibers are pushed toward the center of the lens clumping together causing a compression which leads to opacity of the lens.
