What are the most common eye problems in cats?
The most common eye problems that I see in cats would be eye infections, scratches to the eye, and occasionally cataracts and/or glaucoma.
What are the clinical signs of an eye infection in cats?
Clinical signs of an eye infection in cats would include redness in the eye, generally in the white of the eye. You may notice that your cat is squinting, which is a sign that there is pain in the eye. You may notice ocular discharge, with drainage coming out of the corner of the eye or along the eyelid margin itself. Color is a big indicator: if the discharge is green or yellow, that's a clear sign of a bacterial infection. Clear or watery discharge may or may not be associated with an actual infection. Those would probably be the most common signs that I see in cats with eye infections in my practice.
Can an owner determine if their cat has a scratch in its eye?
Generally speaking, an owner will not be able to determine that there is a scratch in their cat's eye. Any injury to the cornea is extremely painful. The most common sign of a corneal scratch is a cat that is closing its eye, reluctant to look into light, or having bright light shown into its eye, and definitely squinting and holding those eyelids closed as much as possible.
What are cataracts in cats, and how can they be identified?
Cataracts occur when the lens capsule in the eye opacifies or turns white. It may be a small or focal opacity, or in an advanced case, the entire lens may become opacified. Like a corneal scratch, an owner will not likely be able to diagnose a cataract unless it becomes large enough to visually see a white circle in the middle of the cat's eye. We don't commonly see advanced cataracts in cats; I see that problem more often in my dog patients, but it can happen in cats as well.
What are ulcers in a cat's eye, and how are they diagnosed?
Ulcers in the cat's eye result from the loss of one or more layers of the cornea, which is actually 10 cell layers deep. When these layers are eroded or damaged, it causes a cavity or crater on the surface of the cornea. In mild or early cases, the only sign an owner may recognize is that the cat is squinting because it's a very painful process. The diagnosis of a corneal ulcer is made in a veterinary hospital. We apply special staining to the eye, allowing us to see the ulcer's size and location on the cornea with special lighting.
What causes ulcers in a cat's eye?
The underlying cause for an ulcer in a cat can vary. It might be as simple as the cat getting scratched on the eye during play or a fight, or they might have run into something that poked them in the eye. If such a scratch doesn't get cared for, bacteria can set in and begin to erode the corneal layers. Another common reason for corneal ulcers is severe infections. Certain viruses in cats can focalize in the eye and destroy the surface of the cornea if left unchecked or untreated.
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