Years, a subscription dog food company, has withdrawn all of its fresh meals from sale after some customers reported that their pets developed a painful eye condition that can cause permanent sight loss. The company says the problem emerged following a recipe change that introduced buckwheat as an ingredient, and it is now urging every owner to stop feeding the meals to any animal immediately.
Years has told customers not to feed the recalled meals to other pets and not to pass them on or resell them. Asked about accounts from owners whose dogs failed to respond to treatment, or lost their sight entirely, a company representative told this publication that the clinical picture varies widely between cases.
The picture is mixed. Some [ophthalmologists] report dogs responding well to treatment … others have seen limited or slower responses.
Years operates a subscription model that delivers what it describes as personalised meals, and its products are also stocked by some retailers, including at Home. The company said that by the early hours of Wednesday it had logged 192 reports from customers of "potential, yet unverified, eye issues" out of a customer base of roughly 40,000. That figure had risen sharply from the 57 suspected cases it had disclosed just days earlier, on Sunday.
According to the Independent, Years said the proportion of affected customers stood at around 0.1% as of 16 August 2026. Separately, coverage from a pet-industry news site reported that the recall applies to the company's puppy, adult and senior fresh meal ranges, while its treats and Breed Health+ supplements are not affected.
What is the condition affecting these dogs?
The illness being reported is sudden bilateral dry eye, also referred to clinically as keratoconjunctivitis sicca, or KCS, which occurs when a dog's eyes stop producing sufficient tears. "Bilateral" indicates that both eyes are affected simultaneously, and the resulting dryness can be extremely painful for the animal.
The Royal Kennel Club, describing the condition on its website, says affected dogs often rub at their eyes, squint, or become sensitive to light.
Their eyes may be inflamed and reddened, or the cornea may appear dry and dull. There is commonly a thick, mucusy discharge in or around the eye.
The organisation warns that delayed or ineffective treatment carries serious risks.
If this condition is not treated early or is not managed effectively, it can lead to visual problems and blindness.
Some veterinary sources note that dogs diagnosed with the condition may require management for the rest of their lives.
How are affected owners responding?
A Facebook group created on Friday to discuss the issue had grown to more than 2,100 members by Wednesday morning. A second group has since been established specifically to explore what members describe as potential legal avenues for owners who believe their pets' eye problems are connected to the years.com recall.
Numerous dog owners have shared posts on these groups, several including photographs of their pets, describing the sudden onset of dry eye symptoms during periods when their animals were being fed Years meals. One owner, a 23-year-old based in London who has used the service for two years, said their three-year-old shiba inu had shown no symptoms so far despite eight months on the reformulated food.
but after eight months on this new food, I'm genuinely worried about whether eye problems are coming
The same owner said activity in the Facebook group had been intense.
new cases are being posted hourly
Why was buckwheat added, and is it normally considered safe?
Buckwheat was introduced into Years' meals several months ago as part of a recipe overhaul. A blog post published on the company's website in February 2026 had specifically addressed whether the ingredient posed any risk to dogs.
In most cases, yes, buckwheat is safe for dogs to munch – provided it's cooked properly and fed in sensible portions
The same post had reassured customers about the company's approach to portioning the ingredient.
Here at Years, we carefully calculate the right amount of buckwheat to include … ensuring your dog receives all the benefits without any risks.
A company spokesperson said this post had since been taken down from the website in order to avoid confusing customers about the ingredient. Reporting by the Telegraph put the buckwheat content of the fresh meals at roughly 6% to 7.2%, introduced around the start of the year.
What has the company's investigation found so far?
Years said all customers, whether on subscriptions or buying at retail, had been transitioned onto the new buckwheat-containing recipe. The firm said it began receiving multiple reports of sudden bilateral dry eye in late July 2026, a timeline confirmed separately by the Independent.
On 1 August 2026, an independent veterinarian who holds Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons specialist status advised the company that, based on the data available at that point, a link to Years' food appeared unlikely, though further investigation was recommended. Years responded by commissioning laboratory testing, consulting ophthalmologists, circulating a customer questionnaire and appointing two independent experts to lead formal root-cause and toxicology inquiries. The company said it decided on Monday to issue a full, voluntary recall.
The investigation has identified buckwheat as a potential contributing factor, and that includes investigating potential contamination within the buckwheat supply. Further independent laboratory testing is ongoing.
The spokesperson stressed that no cause had been formally established.
Years has chosen to issue a voluntary recall as a precautionary measure, rather than any causation having been proven … There's not conclusive evidence or [an] established link to Years, but we have looked into diverse factors and taken the voluntary recall based on multiple potential factors.
The company also cautioned that the online discussion groups should not be treated as a verified data source.
is not verified customers and will contain those with issues, those without, and those looking at it
Owners wishing to return unused meals have been directed to contact the company at care@years.com, where a pet nutrition review site reported that Years is offering free collection along with a full account credit.
What happens next?
Years has paused its subscription service for six weeks while it works on a reformulated recipe that replaces buckwheat with quinoa, according to the Independent. The company has said it intends to publish the full results of its investigation once complete, though no date has yet been given for that release.
Key Facts
- Years reported 192 potential eye-issue cases among about 40,000 customers by early Wednesday, up from 57 suspected cases the previous Sunday.
- The condition, sudden bilateral dry eye, can cause permanent blindness if untreated, according to the Royal Kennel Club.
- Buckwheat, making up roughly 6% to 7.2% of the fresh meals, was added to the recipe near the start of 2026 and has been named a potential contributing factor.
- Years has paused subscriptions for six weeks to reformulate its recipes using quinoa instead of buckwheat and plans to publish its investigation findings.
- Affected customers can return unused meals to care@years.com for free collection and a full account credit.
