The normal retina lines the back of the eye. The retinal cells receive light stimuli from the external environment and transmit the information to the brain where it is interpreted to become vision. In retinal dysplasia, there is abnormal development of the retina, present at birth.
The disorder can be inherited, or it can be acquired as a result of a viral infection or some other event before the pups were born. There are 3 forms of retinal dysplasia
- Folding of 1 or more area(s) of the retina. This is the mildest form, and the significance to the dog's vision is unknown.
- Geographic - areas of thinning, folding and disorganization of the retina.
- Detached - severe disorganization associated with separation (detachment) of the retina.
The geographic and detached forms cause some degree of visual impairment, or blindness. In many breeds, inheritance has been shown or is suspected to be autosomal recessive. In others, the mode of inheritance has not been determined.
The effect on vision of the mildest form (folding of the retina) is not known. The abnormal retinal folds may disappear with age in dogs that are only mildly affected.
