Feline Eye Disease

Cats typically have better vision than humans. If a house cat seems to be having trouble seeing, or has red, irritated eyes, chances are it has come down with a feline eye disease. A number of these diseases are treatable if caught early, but if not they can lead to severe vision deterioration or total blindness.

Symptoms

• A red, watering eye or a sticky white discharge are indications of feline eye disease. Loss of vision is trickier, as cats have a very good sense of hearing and balance and often use that to compensate for deteriorating sight. If the cat occasionally walks into walls or squints, chances are there is something wrong with its eyes. Try shining a penlight into its eyes to see if the pupils dilate properly, and if the eyes seem to be larger than usual (swelling).

Common Causes

• The most common cause of eye disease in cats is FHV-1, a virus that leads to the condition of conjunctivitis, often known as "pink eye." The cat might suffer from keratitis, an inflammation of the covering of the eye because of a lack of tears and possibly discharge mucus from the eye. This is treatable with medication and antibiotics, as is the second-most common cause of eye disease, chlamydia (see Reference 1).

Types

• Ruling out conjunctivitis, a feline's eye disease has several possible causes: cataracts, tumors, glaucoma or progressive retinal atrophy. Cataracts refers to a clouding in the eye's lens. Tumors can occur in the iris, the eyelid and any eye structure. Glaucoma refers to increased pressure in the eye and can be treated if still in its early stages. Progressive retinal atrophy is a genetic condition in which eyesight slowly degrades over time until the cat is completely blind. This condition cannot be treated.

Treatments

• Treatments vary depending on the disease. In many cases, medication and careful care will suffice. However, in cases such as a clouded lens or the development of eye tumors, surgery will be required. For cataracts, the feline can sometimes get lens implants, but for eye tumors often the entire eye must be removed.

Prevention

• There are vaccines out for many common feline diseases, including eye diseases. If the owner makes sure her cat is properly vaccinated and always has the most current shots, she can prevent a majority of diseases from afflicting her pet. She should also take her cat in for regular checkups so veterinarians can respond at the first sign of disease and provide the best treatment possible.