Introduction
If your dog has ever struggled with cloudy eyes or vision loss, you know how heartbreaking it can be. A condition called corneal endothelial dystrophy (CED) is one culprit—and it’s both painful and difficult to treat.
Researchers funded by the AKC Canine Health Foundation are exploring new ways to manage this disease. Their latest study compares two promising drugs, offering hope for more effective and accessible treatment options for dogs suffering from CED (CHF Grant 02696: Efficacy and Safety of Netarsudil for Canine Corneal Endothelial Dystrophy).
Key Points
- CED causes painful corneal swelling, ulcers, and vision loss in dogs.
- Corneal transplants are rarely done in veterinary medicine due to cost and complexity.
- Ripasudil, a topical drug, improved or stabilized CED in over 60% of cases—but requires 4x daily application and isn’t available in the U.S.
- Netarsudil, an FDA-approved glaucoma drug for humans, was tested for CED and only needs 2x daily application.
- Netarsudil was well tolerated but did not significantly improve corneal health in dogs.
Challenge Background
Corneal endothelial dystrophy (CED) affects the innermost layer of the cornea, which is responsible for keeping the eye clear and properly hydrated. When these cells deteriorate, fluid builds up in the cornea, leading to swelling, cloudiness, and painful ulcers. In severe cases, dogs may lose vision or require eye removal.
Currently, the only definitive treatment is corneal transplantation—a procedure rarely performed in dogs due to high cost, limited donor tissue, and risk of rejection. Most veterinarians rely on palliative care to manage symptoms, but there’s a clear need for better, more accessible treatments.
The Breakthrough
Researchers at the University of California, Davis, supported by the AKC Canine Health Foundation, investigated ROCK inhibitors, a class of drugs that may help treat CED.
They previously found that ripasudil, a topical ROCK inhibitor, helped stabilize or improve CED in over 60% of treated eyes. However, it must be applied four times daily and isn’t commercially available in the U.S.
In the new study, they tested netarsudil, another ROCK inhibitor that is FDA-approved for human glaucoma and only requires twice-daily application. Over 4–8 months, dogs treated with netarsudil showed mild eye redness but tolerated the drug well. Unfortunately, it did not lead to significant improvements in corneal health.
Impact & Next Steps
While netarsudil was safe for dogs, it didn’t offer the same benefits as ripasudil. This suggests that ripasudil remains the more promising option for treating CED, despite its limitations.
The study underscores the importance of canine-specific research rather than relying solely on human treatments. Future work may focus on making ripasudil more accessible or developing new drugs that combine effectiveness with ease of use.
The AKC Canine Health Foundation continues to fund research that advances veterinary care and improves the lives of dogs everywhere. Learn more at akcchf.org/research.
