possible blind rabbit

Question
HI! I am trying to purchase a Havana but the buck, according to the breeder, is suddenly blind.
"I do not know if he is completely blind, as his eyes/pupils can still sense light, as they enlarge and get smaller with the amount of light."
She is trying to figure it out. Would you please tell me what signs/symptoms to look for when I go see him?
What must I ABSOLUTELY avoid?
She said his eyes were not runny or gunky when he was younger. That he has been healthy until this week when she was told he was blind by a friend.
Please advise me on this, I am new to rabbits and am in the learning phase.
Many thanks!!!

Answer
Dear Michelle,

If the rabbit blinks slightly, or if his pupils are contracting when light is shined into them, then he is, indeed, sensitive to light.  But it is much more difficult to tell whether he has clear vision or not.

Why does the breeder think he is blind?  How old is the rabbit?  Is he not responding to movement?  Does he have any evidence of cataracts (whiteness inside the pupil) or injury to the cornea?  I would need to know *why* the breeder thinks he is blind (i.e., what signs are there in his behavior or anatomy) that make him/her think the rabbit is unable to see.

There are many different reasons a rabbit could become blind, including glaucoma, detached retina, corneal injury (resulting in corneal scarring), and cataracts (the latter can have many different causes, as well).  The best way to find out about this bunny's vision would be to have him checked by a qualified veterinary ophthalmologist, or just a good rabbit vet, whom you can find here:

www.rabbit.org/vets/vets.html

On your own, you could check to see if he responds to movement around him (move your hands to the sides of his face without touching him or making any sound), or if he seems to be using only his ears to locate stimuli around him.  

The breeder might suggest putting the rabbit down to walk around, and see what he does.  But note that even if he has full vision, if the bunny is placed in an unfamiliar place, he may be very cautious and unwilling to move around without bobbing his head, spooning his ears, and not advancing without gently bumping things with his nose.  This is normal rabbit behavior for *any* rabbit, blind or not.  So if the breeder suggests that as a way to tell, just know that it's not a good way at all.

All that said, a blind rabbit can live a perfectly happy life, as long as the cause of blindness is not causing pain (some causes can be painful).  If you are buying this rabbit for breeding, please see:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/breeding.html

This boy might just need the protection of a loving home, especially if he is blind.

I hope this helps.

Dana