Between 1967 and 1987, in the Netherlands 3,775 Dobermans were examined for hereditary eye diseases. In 238 of these dogs severe persistent hyperplastic tunica vasculosa lentis and primary vitreous (PHTVL/PHPV) was diagnosed. After a brief description of the clinical features the results of breeding over the recent years are discussed. The incidence (1978–1987) of severely affected dogs in the litter controls decreased from 5% to 1% in the individual controles from 19% to 8%. This is an encouraging downward tendency. Better results are to be expected once test mating and progeny‐testing methods are accepted as breeding methods in dog breeding.