Introduction

The PRA is a genetic disorder. It is causes the degeneration and death of the cone and rod cells of the retina. Glaucoma is a neuro-degenerative disease. The glaucoma cause the degeneration and death of the cells in the ganglion cell complex. In veterinary practice the methods currently used for retinal examination do not make it possible to detect fine changes, and give only informative results which could be proved only by pathologic methods, while do not support the detection of glaucoma or PRA; the early signs appear in the retina.

Objectives

Our goal is to introduce the importance of the OCT in the early diagnosis and differential diagnosis of glaucoma and PRA.

Methods

The principle of operation of the optical coherence tomography (OCT) is very similar to the ultrasound with one major difference, that in case of the OCT the physical wave originates from a special light source.

Results

In our study we examined 152 dogs between the age of 3 weeks to 15 years old. We took OCT pictures at different stages of PRA.

Conclusions

With OCT we are able to detect early lesions. Thanks to the early diagnosis, it is possible to begin the therapy in time so fewer retinal cells get damaged and/or die.