I am sad, but I know is life!

When Stevie (who has since gone to the bridge) was around Romeo's age, they told me the same thing. And he never developed them any farther than that. The vets kept saying "It looks like he's getting cataracts," but nope! His eyesight remained just fine throughout his very long life. When he died he could have been 20, could have been 17, but no younger.

So don't take it as gospel that your baby dog is going to go blind. He might, and then again, he might not.

Give him a little hug for me. []

Don't act like blindness is a death sentence. They adjust very well to their surroundings and yes, there are a few adjustments for the two of you to make.
 
My oldest girl is 21 years old. She is totally blind now and has gotten deaf too. As long as I don't move things around on her, she is just fine. You too will have many more years to go. Just love and live, lend a gentle hand every once in a while. Things will be ok. Chin up my dear. If we can do it so can you.
 
Bet the Sunday went over like a huge party! Kudo's to the two of you.

Jeano and Fourpaws are absolutely right -- first off, sight is a dog's WEAKEST sense, and they truly aren't particularly well sighted in any event.  Now the NOSE?? That's the biggie -- you can CALL a dog with a scent!! 
 
Begin to play scent games with Romeo -- ANY dog can learn to 'track' and playing tracking games helps them learn to use their nose more effectively and gives them something to 'lean' on as their sight fails (and it will as they age -- it happens to ALL of us). 
 
My Prissy who lived to be nearly 21 was nearly totally deaf by her age 8 ... and got cataracts and was pretty well totally blind by 16 -- FIVE MORE YEARS and she did fine!!  I have lots of funny stories but they aren't about despair .. but rather her learning to make do (and also learning to use her "disability" HEAVILY when **she** didn't want to do something!!).
 
Muffin the Intrepid lost his hearing at age 6 when he had to have both ears removed.  Did it slow him down?  Not in the slightest.  He learned to lip read and the nose went into over-drive (he could SCENT a tree frog jumping on the window in the next room -- and trust me -- he certainly didn't *hear* it!!! And that has it's basis in a totally true story). 
 
He did, however, have the famous trick when he didn't want to do something he was commanded to do - he'd give you this look like "Oh man, I can't HEAR you ... and wow -- the ceiling is really interesting ... so I can't SEE your mouth either so guess I won't have to do that right now ... wow -- nice ceiling ... really nice ... I know you're looking at me so I'm gonna just KEEP ON looking at this ceiling so I don't have to do what I know you're telling me ... dang ... give up will ya Mom -- I'm getting a crick in my neck!!"
 
Stubborn little pill would simply avoid eye contact so he didn't have to "see" your sign command. 
 
My point is learn to help Romeo deal with this *minor* side effect of maturity.  And you'll find you can open up a whole new world to him  -- an animal who learns a new skill like tracking (and ANY breed can learn this -- their nose is so far above ours it's unreal!! but a companion animal tends not to lean on it as heavily until they learn to) is a dog who will *gain* confidence in his old age rather than losing it.
 
I'm not as fast as I was when I was 30 ... but would I go back?  NO WAY -- I'm smarter, wiser and  love live more now than I did then.  Romeo will develop the attitude you show him --
 
Dab a drop of peppermint oil on a tennis ball and show it to him.  Then hide it under a pillow and get him to find it.  He doesn't have to 'play' with it (some dogs don't) to have fun finding it.  hide it better next time ... or take it outside and cover his eyes while you roll the ball ahead of him into the grass and tell him to 'find' it.  If he's not toy motivated then reward him with a treat he DOES like ...
 
Later as his sight becomes truly dim, (if it does) you can expose him to other scents -- like keep one scent for doorways, and another one for "dangerous" things like the edge of a porch or dangerous stairwell.  A scent can simply become a "command" -- the skys the limit.  So teach him to reach for it!!

Jeano and Fourpaws are absolutely right -- first off, sight is a dog's WEAKEST sense, and they truly aren't particularly well sighted in any event.

Ahem...there are Sighthounds you know. []

To Olinda:  There is a semi-blind collie that comes to our park.  He sees only shadows and movement yet he still walks right up to his favorite people and stands beside them waiting patiently for a scratch or a treat.  I'm sure your little guy will be fine, no matter what happens.

I'm sorry you had a sad day, but you obviously have the same coping method I have --- a hot fudge sundae is always an excellent solution!!  And Baskin Robbins is the best!
 
I remember when we first noticed Tonka's eyes clouding a bit, as well as some other signs he was definitely a senior dog.  I'd been dreading the thought of losing him for years, but it was even harder when there were physical symptoms to make it "real."  However, as everyone has said, the loss of sight is the least inconvenient of the key ways our dogs connect with us and the world.  It should be a gradual loss, so he can adjust over time, rather than going totally blind overnight.  And he can always hear the sound of your voice (which is music to his ears), so he'll always know where you are.  And his nose will be his best asset as always!
 
Callie's suggestion confirms something I'd thought of just the other day.  My cousin was housesitting for someone with 2 dogs, one of which was born blind and deaf.  This poor baby lives in total fear because it's obvious no one has worked with him on how to develop a sense of comfort in his world.  I have NO experience with blind or deaf dogs, and I couldn't sleep the night she told me how she has to toss a blanket over him just to catch him to give him his medicine and keep him from fear-biting her.  I laid awake thinking of things I'd do to help him, and I came up with the idea of different essential oil fragrances for different things.  First and foremost, I'd wear the same scent on my body everyday so he'd know when I was coming, then I'd put one near his food/water bowls, one near the door, etc.  And, I would place some kind of plastic runner on the carpet in a path to his food and doggy door so he could feel the different texture on his feet to learn where to go.  I was about ready to kidnap this poor dog so I could help him, since his owners haven't helped him hardly at all it sounds like.
 
Anyway, your sundae and snuggle listening to the rain sounds like a wonderful way to spend time with your boy, who will love you just as much even if you're a bit blurry to him!

Sure, it's a sign of aging but good for you for taking the extra time. It's all we have.
 

Thank you all for your words of encouragement.  I think I overreacted a little. 

As I sat next to his bed last night watching him sleep, I gave myself a pep talk ( I am my biggest cheerleader) I told myself that blindness (if it comes to that) does not mean he is dead, I told myself what I needed to do for him now was to learn how to deal with it so I can in turn teach him how to cope with it as well. 

Thank you callie for the scent games suggestions, I will certainly start with that now.  And you are right Romeo will learn the attitude I teach him, so I will be strong. I contacted a rescue group here in Houston that deals with blind dogs and they give classes to guardians on how to help the animal.  My mom told me as usual I go into overdrive but I want to start learning now, just in case.

I survived grade IV brain cancer when I was 8 yrs old and the doctors did not give me more than 6 mos at the most, have gone out of remission twice, and what got me through  it was my attitude, I will be 39 yrs old August 26.  The best thing I can do for Romeo is to educate myself and realize like forpaws said "blindness is not a death sentence".

Thank you again for reminding me is not a big deal, that he will adjust and as long as he is happy that is all that counts.  Even if it comes to him not being able to see me, he will always be able to feel my love. []

It makes great sense to draw on the strength that got you through your bouts of problems.