seeing eye dog for a dog

[Catherine]

It is going to vary from species to species. Over the years I did have the odd dwarf hamster who was blind. They have such poor sight and are nocturnal so lack of vision didn't seem to matter. They lived pretty much the same as the other hamsters.
Some pack animals might manage because the pack would help them. I have heard of a wild horse being blind and managing because the herd  protected and guided her. Birds probably wouldn't be able to survive. Marine mammals might be okay. Some must depend on sound rather than sight.

There are blind fish that live in caves who actually don't have eyes. Other creatures that always live in dark caves would lack sight. Even if the eyes were there they would be underdeveloped. 

We think of the loss of vision as a catastrophe, but blind people get around very well and do many ordinary things. I think a blind animals would be much like that.