Hereditary Eye Diseases in Common Dog Breeds: What Breeders Must Know

One of the hardest lessons I learned in my early years as a Collie breeder was that a beautiful dog with perfect conformation and a stellar temperament could still carry serious eye disease. You cannot see hereditary eye conditions by looking at a dog. You cannot detect most of them without a specialized examination. By the time symptoms appear — if they ever do in mild cases — that dog has often already produced multiple litters.

Understanding which hereditary eye diseases affect which breeds is the first step toward responsible breeding. This guide covers the most common conditions, the breeds most affected, and how annual OFA eye certifications fit into a prevention strategy.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)

Progressive Retinal Atrophy is one of the most devastating hereditary eye diseases because it causes gradual blindness with no cure. The photoreceptors in the retina degenerate progressively, typically beginning with night blindness and advancing to complete vision loss. Most affected dogs are totally blind by ages six to eight.

PRA affects dozens of breeds, including Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Irish Setters, Miniature Poodles, Cocker Spaniels, and Border Collies. The genetic mutations differ by breed, which is why DNA testing alongside clinical exams is so valuable. Carriers show no clinical signs. Two carriers bred together produce affected offspring at a predictable rate.

Clinical eye exams cannot detect PRA in young dogs or carriers. DNA tests can, but only for specific known mutations. Annual eye exams can detect early retinal changes before a dog goes blind, helping breeders remove affected animals from breeding programs before they produce additional litters.

Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA)

Collie Eye Anomaly is a congenital condition meaning affected puppies are born with it. The condition ranges from mild choroidal hypoplasia, which causes minimal visual impairment, to severe colobomas of the optic disc, which can cause retinal detachment and blindness. The classic feature is abnormal development of the choroid, the vascular layer beneath the retina.

Despite the name, CEA affects more than just Collies. Shetland Sheepdogs, Border Collies, Australian Shepherds, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers, and Lancashire Heelers all carry the condition. Rough and Smooth Collies have the highest prevalence, with some population studies suggesting carrier rates above 80% in unscreened lines.

Puppies should be examined for CEA between five and eight weeks of age, before a phenomenon called phenotypic normalization can mask mild cases. After that window, mildly affected dogs may appear normal on exam even though they carry and can transmit the mutation. Early puppy eye screening is therefore critical for breeds at risk.

Hereditary Cataracts (HC)

Cataracts are lens opacities that impair vision. While cataracts can develop from injury or metabolic disease, hereditary cataracts follow recognizable patterns and appear in young dogs in characteristic locations within the lens. Hereditary cataracts are among the most frequently detected conditions on OFA eye exams.

Breeds with notably high hereditary cataract prevalence include Boston Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, French Bulldogs, Australian Shepherds, Miniature and Standard Schnauzers, and Siberian Huskies. In some of these breeds, hereditary cataracts are so common that breed clubs have developed specific testing protocols and registration requirements.

A board-certified ophthalmologist can distinguish hereditary cataracts from other types by their location, appearance, and age of onset. Knowing this distinction matters for breeding decisions. Not every dog with a lens opacity should be removed from the breeding program, but dogs with classic hereditary patterns should be treated very conservatively. Understanding what the certification codes mean helps you interpret your results correctly.

Persistent Pupillary Membranes (PPM)

Persistent Pupillary Membranes are remnants of the fetal membrane that covered the pupil during eye development. In most dogs, these membranes regress completely before birth or shortly after. In some dogs, strands remain that can attach to the cornea, lens, or float freely in the anterior chamber.

PPM severity varies enormously. Iris-to-iris strands that do not touch any other structures are common and generally considered non-significant. Iris-to-cornea or iris-to-lens attachments can cause scarring, cataracts, or corneal opacity and are more serious. Breed clubs differ in how they treat PPM on certification exams, which is one reason why understanding the specific eye certification requirements for your breed matters.

Basenjis, Mastiffs, Pembroke Welsh Corgis, and several spaniels have elevated rates of clinically significant PPM. In Basenjis, PPM has been a focus of systematic breeding efforts for decades.

Retinal Dysplasia (RD)

Retinal Dysplasia involves abnormal development of the retina. The condition ranges from focal folds, which are typically non-progressive and may have minimal clinical impact, to geographic dysplasia involving large areas of the retina, to complete retinal detachment.

Labrador Retrievers, English Springer Spaniels, Bedlington Terriers, and Rottweilers have documented hereditary retinal dysplasia. In Labradors, a form of retinal dysplasia combined with skeletal abnormalities is caused by a specific mutation that can be tested through DNA. This is another condition where combining DNA testing with clinical exams gives the most complete picture.

Lens Luxation

Lens Luxation occurs when the lens becomes partially or completely displaced from its normal position. Primary lens luxation is hereditary and can cause acute glaucoma, which is painful and rapidly vision-threatening. Terrier breeds are most commonly affected, including Jack Russell Terriers, Miniature Bull Terriers, Tibetan Terriers, and Wire Fox Terriers.

Primary lens luxation is caused by a mutation in the ADAMTS17 gene, and DNA testing is available. However, clinical exam can detect the early stages of lens displacement before luxation occurs, providing an important screening tool even for young dogs not yet showing clinical disease. Annual certification catches these changes.

Goniodysgenesis and Glaucoma

Goniodysgenesis refers to abnormal development of the drainage angle in the eye. Affected dogs have a higher risk of developing primary glaucoma, a painful condition that causes blindness if not treated promptly. The drainage angle can be evaluated by gonioscopy, a specialized examination often performed alongside or as part of the standard eye certification exam.

Breeds at elevated risk include Basset Hounds, Cocker Spaniels, Chow Chows, Shar Peis, Norwegian Elkhounds, and Samoyeds. Unlike many hereditary eye conditions, goniodysgenesis has its own specific examination and separate notation on certification paperwork. Not all ophthalmologists perform gonioscopy routinely, so breeders of at-risk breeds should specifically request it. For a full breeder-focused walkthrough of the examination, grading scale, and breeding decisions, see our dedicated gonioscopy and goniodysgenesis certification guide.

Distichiasis

Distichiasis refers to extra eyelashes arising from abnormal follicles in the eyelid margin. These extra lashes can rub against the cornea, causing irritation, corneal ulcers, or scarring. Many dogs with distichiasis show no symptoms; others develop significant corneal problems requiring treatment.

Shih Tzus, Flat-Coated Retrievers, Poodles, American Cocker Spaniels, and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels have elevated rates of distichiasis. The hereditary basis is suspected but less well characterized than for conditions with identified mutations. Most breed clubs note distichiasis on certification forms with a Breeder Option designation for mild cases without corneal involvement.

Building a Testing Strategy

Knowing which conditions affect your breed is the foundation. From there, a sensible strategy combines annual clinical eye exams through the OFA program with breed-appropriate DNA testing. Clinical exams catch conditions that have no DNA test, provide an ongoing record of a dog's eye health, and satisfy breed club and registry requirements. DNA tests catch carriers before they produce affected offspring.

Before your first exam, take time to understand how to prepare your dog so the appointment goes smoothly. And if you are evaluating breeding stock, reviewing the multi-generational approach to eye health management will help you build a sustainable program rather than just reacting to individual test results.

When Results Are Not Clear-Cut

Eye exam results are not always a simple pass or fail. Many conditions come back as Breeder Option, meaning the examiner identified something present but considered it unlikely to be inherited or to significantly affect the dog. These results require judgment. Discussing Breeder Option findings with your ophthalmologist and your breed club health committee helps you make informed decisions rather than either dismissing the finding or overreacting to it.

The ophthalmologist's written comments on the exam form often provide more detail than the coded result. Read them carefully. If something is unclear, call the ophthalmologist's office. That conversation may be the most valuable thing you do for your breeding program.