Your feline friend’s eyes help them to see and navigate throughout the world. But just like humans, they can also suffer from a myriad of different eye-related issues. Our team here at Veterinary Revision is going to walk you through three common eye problems we see in cats.
Corneal Ulcers
The cornea is the clear “windshield” of tissue on the surface of the eye. An ulceration occurs when the very surface of the cornea is damaged, often by trauma or viral infection. The most recognized signs of corneal ulcers in cats is squinting, redness, and discharge from the eye. In most cases, corneal ulcers heal rapidly over 1-2 weeks with appropriate treatment. However, in severe cases, surgery may necessary to resolve the problem.
Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis, sometimes called “pink eye,” is commonly seen in cats. When the tissue surrounding the eye becomes inflamed, this is when pink eye develops. The most common cause of feline conjunctivitis is feline herpesvirus-1 (FH-1) infection; however, other causes include bacterial infection and immune-mediated conditions. The most common symptoms include excessive tearing or watering from the eye, sticky eye discharge, and swelling. Typically, treatment for conjunctivitis may include antiviral medication, antibiotic therapy, or anti-inflammatories. We previously wrote about conjunctivitis here.
Uveitis
Although fairly common among cats, uveitis is often misdiagnosed as conjunctivitis. Uveitis is an inflammatory condition that occurs within your cat’s eyes, often causing progressive vision loss, cataracts, glaucoma, and pain. The cause of uveitis varies dramatically, but is often related to systemic disturbances like infection, cancer, and autoimmune disease. In most cases, thorough testing is recommended to help identify the underlying cause of uveitis as treatment of that cause is often curative.
If your cat’s eyes are giving them some trouble, we’re happy to help. Please contact us if you have any questions.