Cloudy eyes in cats. Cloudy eye in a cat: main causes and treatment methods

Cats often suffer from eye problems. Some diseases are not dangerous, but some of them can cause complete loss of vision. One of the main signs of a problem is a cloudy cat's eye.

Cloudy eye in a cat: signs

If a cat's eye is cloudy, then at first glance he appears to be blind. However, this is not always the case. There is only one sign of cloudy eyes in an animal – a white veil.

A cat's eye can become cloudy for a variety of reasons.

But over time, other symptoms may appear, for example:

1. Blepharospasm and photophobia.
2. Swelling of the conjunctiva.
3. Irritability.
4. Protrusion of the eye from the socket.
5. Increase eyeball.
6. Dilatation of blood vessels in the eye.
7. The presence of purulent or mucous discharge from the eyes.
8. Sleep disturbance.
9. Loss of appetite.

You should not wait for signs of complications to appear, and if you notice clouding of the eye, you should immediately contact a veterinarian.

Common causes of cloudy eyes in cats

The most common causes of cloudy eyes are glaucoma, cataracts or keratitis. These problems are increasingly being identified in cats of different breeds and ages.

Glaucoma

When a cat has glaucoma, the intraocular pressure increases, the size of the eyes changes, and vision begins to disappear.

The cat owner may also notice the following changes:

• the pupil is dilated;
• the cornea is almost white;
• coordination is impaired.

But the cat mostly bumps into surrounding objects only because it doesn’t see well. Moreover, the disease can affect both eyes at once. The cause of glaucoma, which can be congenital or acute, can be a severe form of keratitis or lens luxation.

Cataract

A cataract is a clouding of the eye that begins at the pupil. The lens may completely lose its transparency. The disease can cause inflammatory disease eyes, trauma, or previous infection. Most often, this problem occurs in older cats due to metabolic disorders.

Cloudiness of the eye can occur due to cataracts.

Corneal lesions (keratitis)

In this case, clouding of the surface of the eye is observed. It can begin to grow from any area of ​​the eye, resembling the gradual stretching of a dense film. Keratitis in cats occurs due to an inflammatory process in the tissues of the cornea, or due to an infection in the eye. It is not uncommon for the eye to become cloudy after an injury. In any form, keratitis is a serious problem.

Keratitis is also a consequence of age-related disorders, untreated conjunctivitis, and the formation of ulcers on the corneas.

Less Common Causes of Cloudy Cat Eyes

In addition to the above reasons, there are other “culprits” for the development of cloudy eyes:

1. Damage to the tear duct.
2. Poor care after removal of the third eyelid.
3. Bacterial infection.
4. Cancer disease.
5. Pathologies vitreous.
6. Autoimmune diseases.

Important. The last point has not been studied enough. And it is considered only if other reasons are excluded.

Diagnosis of the disease

What to do if a cat's eye becomes cloudy, the doctor can tell you only after full examination pet. He will examine the cornea, eyelids, lens and determine the condition of the vitreous body.

Diagnosis today consists of the following studies:

For eye problems, the veterinarian does tonometry.

1. Schirmer test. It is carried out using special paper, which is placed in the corner of the eye and the intensity of its wetting is observed. This is necessary in order to understand whether the animal produces enough tear fluid.
2. Use of UV lamps. This method allows you to determine the presence of erosions and ulcers on the cornea. To do this, a special composition is applied to the cornea, which, if there are problems with the surface being examined, begins to fluoresce.
3. Tonometry. By measuring the pressure in the eyeball, you can identify not only existing glaucoma, but also its first signs.
4. Serological and complete blood count necessary to detect an infectious disease.
5. Research for the determination of feline immunodeficiency virus, leukemia, infectious peritonitis, toxoplasmosis.

If there is insufficient information to make an accurate diagnosis, other research methods are used:

1. Corneal cytology (scraping).
2. Tests for sensitivity to a number of drugs. If the doctor previously found out that vision was impaired due to exposure to fungi, bacteria or viruses, then he must conduct tests using certain drugs, most often antibiotics. This is necessary in order to understand what medicines will be most effective in treatment.
3. Determining the presence of herpes, which is often the cause of eye problems.
4. Paracentesis is a test of the vitreous body.
5. Serology.
6. Electroretinography.
7. Ultrasound examination of the eyes. This method is used when the surface of the eyeball is very “clouded.”

Treatment methods

Many cat breeders are wondering how to treat their pet at home. The answer to this question depends on what kind of disease is detected in the animal. In some cases, treatment within the walls may be required veterinary clinic.

If the cause of the clouding of the eye is an infectious disease, the animal will be prescribed antibiotic treatment. wide range actions, or antibacterial drugs in fairly large doses.

In the presence of corneal ulcers or glaucoma, surgery is used. The main difficulty in this case is the severity of therapy; often, with glaucoma it threatens complete removal eyes. Corneal ulcers are eliminated less painfully by excising only the affected tissue. After the operation, scars remain that prevent the animal from fully restoring vision, but the pet still remains sighted.

Treatment depends on why your cat's eye is cloudy.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are also used in the treatment of cloudy eyes. Their use also has a number of contraindications, since these drugs, when used for a long time, negatively affect the general condition of the animal’s body.

In almost all cases, no matter what disease is detected in a cat, it is prescribed to instill antiseptic drops into the conjunctival cavity and lay medicinal ointments. They are needed to moisturize the affected organ, because the liquid is a barrier to entry and development pathogenic microflora.

Important. If, after applying tetracycline, the eye becomes even more cloudy, you should seek advice from a veterinarian. This may indicate the presence of an individual reaction in the animal.

In addition to medications, you need to remember that the cat needs to create a comfortable environment during the treatment period. The animal needs rest and special diet, containing vitamins E and A. These supplements will help restore the affected areas of the cornea.

In some cases, complex treatment is prescribed, which consists of:

• use of tetracycline ointment or gamavit;
• washing with metrogil solution;
• use of drugs based on Actovegin;
• therapy with antiviral drugs.

Eye drops and ointments are used for treatment.

Disease prevention and care

Even the most complex eye diseases that lead to clouding can be prevented or delayed. To do this, you just need to carefully monitor your pet. Monitor your cat's eyes at least twice a day. If you notice redness, discharge from the eyes, blurred vision, or pain syndrome, then contact a specialist immediately. All of the above symptoms may indicate the development or worsening of the pathological process.

You can avoid problems with your pet's vision. To do this, minimize stress factors that affect your cat's vision.

If your cat suffers from an eye condition and has difficulty seeing, provide her with complete safety. To do this, remove from the room objects that may be dangerous for the animal - chairs, tables and other obstacles.

Cats often injure themselves. A surgical collar will help you avoid self-injury to your eyes. It is placed around the pet’s neck, and the cat is no longer able to reach its eyes with its paws and rub them.

In order for your cat to be treated effectively, you need to remember that all medications prescribed by your veterinarian must be used strictly according to the instructions. You do not need to prescribe medications for your pet yourself, increase or decrease the recommended dosage, or change the medication schedule.

Attention. Do not use “human” medications to treat your cat. This is especially true for eye drops. Drugs such as Vizin, Taufon, etc. are designed for human biochemistry, but for an animal they can be destructive.

Veterinary medications must be used to treat cat eyes.

You should not resort to folk remedies that suggest pouring powdered sugar into the cat’s eye or dropping milk. All this, in best case scenario, can lead to a blurred clinical picture, and the doctor will not be able to identify the true problem in a timely manner. In the worst case scenario, the animal will permanently lose its vision.

To ensure that your cat can still see clearly not only at night, but also during the day, you must monitor her closely. Any changes in the eyes and behavior of the animal should alert you.

Even the most serious disease can be overcome if you consult a specialist in a timely manner and do not self-medicate, wasting time.

Eye pathologies in cats are not uncommon. But there are certain eye diseases in these pets that carry the risk of partial or even complete loss of vision. One of the main signs of this condition is clouding of the cat's eye.

Relevance of the problem

If a cat's eye becomes cloudy, it appears as if he is blind. But it is not always the case. To establish the true cause of blurred vision in pet, you need to contact a veterinarian-ophthalmologist.

The fact is that the causes of this eye pathology can be various diseases: cataracts, keratitis, glaucoma, uveitis. They can only be recognized in a veterinary clinic using special equipment.

Causes of the disease

The main causes of loss of transparency in a cat’s eye are:

• pathology of the cornea. It becomes whitish or has a pale blue tint and loses its shine;
• lens pathology. They are limited to clouding of the pupil, the cornea is not affected and remains transparent. When you shine light on the eye, the cloudiness narrows, which confirms the lesion is in the pupil.

Let's consider the options when a cat's eye becomes cloudy in more detail.

Causes of loss of transparency of the cornea of ​​the eye, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment

The opacity of the cornea of ​​the eye indicates its disease. There are 3 groups of reasons that provoke the occurrence of problems with the cornea:

1. The accumulation in it of excess liquid, pus, cholesterol or calcium.
2. Pathological germination of blood vessels.
3. Scar formation from connective tissue(sore), etc.

Keratitis

With this disease, vision always deteriorates or is completely lost. Keratitis is a consequence of toxic liver damage due to poisoning and intoxication, acute infectious eye diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, or neurogenic pathologies.

To prevent your cat from going completely blind, immediate professional help is required.

The first symptoms of keratitis are redness of the eye and the presence of serous or purulent discharge. After some time, the cat’s eye becomes cloudy and the cornea loses its transparency. With prolonged development of the pathology, ulcers and necrosis of the cornea develop.

To select adequate treatment, reliable diagnosis is necessary. It is carried out using a special fluorescent liquid. In the light, damage to the cornea becomes visible. Diagnosis is carried out in a veterinary clinic.

Self-treatment is strictly contraindicated, since keratitis is a polyetiological disease, and without exact established cause treatment may cause additional harm.

The prescribed treatment after diagnosis should be aimed at combating the consequences of the identified eye infection and maintaining the animal’s immune status.

Required antiseptic solutions for washing the eyes, antibacterial or antiviral drops and ointments. A complete diet with sufficient vitamins and microelements is also necessary.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is an eye disease in cats that develops against the background of increased intraocular pressure. The cornea loses transparency during an acute attack of the disease.

Atrophy optic nerve leads to complete blindness of the animal within 2-4 days after the attack. Therefore, the animal needs urgent veterinary care.

Symptoms of an acute attack of glaucoma:

• pain when touching the eye;
• photophobia;
• corneal edema;
• high intraocular pressure.

Treatment for an acute attack of glaucoma involves urgently reducing the pressure inside the eye. Manipulations must be carried out veterinary specialist with monitoring of the animal's condition.

Further treatment consists of the use of drugs that reduce intraocular pressure, diuretics and agents that help stabilize the cat's condition.

Corneal erosions and ulcers

These corneal defects of varying depths can occur due to mechanical, chemical and thermal injuries, chlamydia, inflammatory pathologies of the eye, glaucoma and other pathologies. The eye acquires characteristic features:

• redness of the cornea of ​​the eye;
• photophobia;
• corneal clouding.

Treatment consists of eliminating the underlying cause of the disease and symptomatic local therapy. Complex treatment includes antibacterial, corneoprotective and immunostimulating drugs.

This pathology is a consequence of some generalized process in the animal’s eye. This could be cataracts, glaucoma, keratitis. More often the process affects one eye.

In the cornea of ​​the eye, local metabolism is disrupted, which leads to the deposition of cholesterol, calcium or amyloid cells in it. As a result of these processes, the eye loses its normal structure and becomes cloudy. Special medications and surgical methods are used in treatment.

Scar (thorn) of the cornea

A scar or cataract of the cornea causes it to become cloudy after injury, burns or ulcers. There are several types of pathology:

• peripheral cataract, it is located away from the pupil and does not have a significant harmful effect on vision;
• a total cataract that covers the pupil and cornea. Vision deteriorates significantly;
• central thorn. It is located on the pupil, covering it partially or completely. The field of view becomes limited.

Partial or full recovery corneas with this pathology is only possible with timely professional treatment.

Causes of damage and clouding of the lens of the eye

The pupil of the eye does not become cloudy, as it is a hole in the iris. The transparent biolens of the eye, the lens located behind the pupil, becomes cloudy.

The main cause of lens clouding is cataracts. This disease develops for several reasons:

• age-related changes in metabolism in old individuals;
• endocrine diseases – diabetes, lipid metabolism disorders;
• pupil injuries;
• infectious diseases in a pregnant cat can cause damage to the lens of the kitten’s eye;
• genetic predisposition of certain cat breeds to this pathology. These are breeds such as Persians, Siamese and Burmese.

Treatment of cataracts with medications can only temporarily slow down the course of the disease.

The definitive treatment for lens opacity is surgery to replace it. If radical treatment to replace the lens is not carried out in time, the process develops further with complications:

• uveitis - the development of an inflammatory process of the choroid of the eye, which leads to loss of vision;
• secondary glaucoma with optic nerve atrophy and the development of complete blindness;
• panophthalmitis – release of lens masses into the chambers of the eye, development of purulent inflammation, death of the eye.

Obviously, clouding of a cat's eye always leads to decreased vision or complete blindness. Restoration of eye function depends on the time of seeking specialized help, correct diagnosis and quality treatment.

Good results from treatment are possible if you contact specialists for early stage development of pathology.

Prevention

Preventing cloudy eyes in a cat consists of following a few simple rules for keeping the animal:

• timely vaccination against infectious diseases;
• regular examinations of the animal and timely contact with a specialist at the slightest inflammation of the pet’s eyes;
• if you suspect clouding of the eyes, urgently contact a veterinary ophthalmologist.

It should be remembered that any eye disease can lead to vision loss in a cat. Therefore, you should not ignore even the slightest eye inflammation in a cat and promptly contact a veterinary clinic.

Cloudy eyes in cats are a common problem that causes serious concern for pet owners. Clouding of the cornea in cats may indicate the development of an ophthalmological disease, which can affect both one or both organs of vision.

In some cases, clouding of the eyes in cats is temporary and does not pose any danger to the pet. But in the presence of serious pathologies, it can lead to complete or partial loss of vision for the animal. A veterinarian will help determine the specific cause of the problem, so under no circumstances should you delay a visit to the doctor.

Main signs of cloudy eyes in cats

Symptoms of cloudy eyes in a cat can appear both in the initial and more severe, advanced stages of the disease. It is very important to determine the presence of pathology on early stages, since the effectiveness of treatment and the preservation of full vision in the cat depend on this.

Signs of the disease can appear in both kittens and adult pets. Most often they look like this:

• A whitish veil or so-called cataract appears on the mucous membrane of the cornea of ​​the eye.
• Swelling and redness of the ocular conjunctiva.
• Development of photophobia.
• Increase in the size of the organ of vision.
• The eye may protrude beyond its limits.
• Dilation of blood vessels inside the organ of vision.
• The appearance of purulent or mucous discharge from the eye.

A cloudy eye in a cat is accompanied by changes in the animal's behavior. It becomes irritable and restless, it loses its appetite, and the pet can lose a lot of weight. You should not wait for the disease to progress to an advanced form - at the first signs of cloudy eyes in a cat, you should immediately visit a veterinarian.

Causes of pathology

The causes of corneal clouding in cats can be quite varied. Most often, the development of pathology is associated with injuries to the organs of vision, as well as ophthalmological diseases.

The main causes among eye diseases:

1. Cataract.
2. Glaucoma.
3. Keratitis.
4. Uveitis.

In most cases, the development of cataracts is accompanied by the presence of cloudiness on the eye cornea. The disease is characterized by rapid clouding of the lens, in which it can completely lose its transparency. Most often, cataracts occur in adult cats and are associated with age-related changes in their body.

Glaucoma is a common ophthalmological pathology that affects one eye or both organs. It develops against the background of a sharp increase in pressure inside the cornea. Additional symptoms of glaucoma include redness, swelling, and fear of bright colors. A clouded pupil leads to full or partial atrophy optic nerves, which can cause the cat to lose vision.

Keratitis is a common eye disease among cats. It occurs against the background of inflammatory or infectious process, affecting the surface of the ocular cornea. With the development of keratitis, it is observed sharp deterioration the acuity and quality of a cat's vision up to its complete loss. The disease requires immediate treatment, which will help avoid blindness of the pet.

Other, less common reasons for a cat's eye to become cloudy may be related to autoimmune diseases, pathologies endocrine system, age-related changes, oncology, infection of the corneal surface after unsuccessful eye surgeries.

Diagnosis of disease in cats

In order to answer the question of what to do in case of clouding of the cat’s eye lens, you need to immediately contact a veterinary clinic. Only a doctor, having carried out all the necessary diagnostic measures, will be able to explain why the animal developed a vision pathology.

Basic diagnostic methods:

• Tonometry – measurement of the level of intraocular pressure.
• Schirmer's test is a test that shows the amount of tear fluid produced in the ducts.
• Ultraviolet examination - allows you to identify microtraumas and erosions on the cornea of ​​both one and both eyes.
• Clinical blood test.

Based on the test results obtained, it is possible to accurately determine why the cat’s eye is cloudy.

Effective treatments

If a cat's eye becomes cloudy, the main methods of treatment depend on the cause that triggered the development of the pathology. Therapy can be carried out both at home and in a hospital.

For diseases of infectious origin, antibacterial drugs are prescribed. In case of inflammation, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antiseptic or antibacterial eye drops are used. They promote additional hydration of the mucous membrane, eliminate redness and swelling, and reliably protect the eyes from viruses and bacteria.

In the most severe cases, when corneal clouding is caused by glaucoma or ulcers, surgery is recommended. After the operation, vision may deteriorate significantly, but complete blindness of the animal can be avoided.

Cloudy eyes in cats - common pathology ophthalmological nature, which may be a sign of serious diseases. It is extremely important to carefully monitor the condition of your pet’s eyes, as well as promptly seek veterinary help. This will help avoid severe consequences and preserve your pet's vision.

Fluid accumulation or damage to the lens and cornea can cause a kitten to have a cloudy eye. Popularly, such an anomaly is called a “thorn”. In some cases, both eyes may become cloudy.

Symptoms

The main symptom is usually pronounced - a cloudy eye in a cat, but to make an accurate diagnosis it is necessary to take into account some nuances characteristic of a particular disease. There are 3 degrees of damage:

• Total, when the eye cannot open at all.
• Central - the center of the eye is directly affected.
• Peripheral - a border is visible along the edge of the apple.

Often, along with clouding of the eye, the cat experiences changes in behavior or parallel signs allowing to diagnose a specific pathology. Deterioration in vision is accompanied by uncertainty in gait, since the pet does not distinguish surrounding objects well enough.

The cat may develop squint, excitability, and nervousness. If there is an inflammatory process, then there is discharge, swelling of the mucous membrane, and pain.

You can establish the exact reason why a cat’s eye is cloudy by comprehensively examining the animal.

Causes

There are three main most common reasons why a cat's eye is cloudy.:

1. Damage to the cornea causes clouding of the surface of the eye, but no color changes occur in depth. In this case, cloudiness occurs in any part of the eye. As a rule, this is a consequence of the development of inflammation in the tissues of the cornea. The inflammatory process can be caused by injury or infection. The disease is called keratitis. Any form of the disease is a serious illness. This is explained by the fact that the consequence of the inflammatory process in the cornea is its degradation.
2. Glaucoma. Increased intraocular pressure causes the eye to increase in size, and at the same time, there is a loss of the ability to see. Additionally, you can notice a lack of coordination of movements in the cat, a dilated pupil, a clouded cornea, which almost completely turns white and loses sensitivity. The animal bumps into surrounding objects due to loss of vision. Glaucoma can affect both eyes of a cat at the same time. As the disease progresses, the tissues of the eye become hard. The disease can be congenital or acute. Glaucoma is caused by lens luxation or keratitis.
3. Cataract. The eye becomes cloudy in the center, near the pupil. Cataracts affect one or two eyes. Over time, the lens becomes opaque, almost white. The disease can appear after an infection, injury, or inflammatory process. Often the disease is associated with age-related metabolic disorders in the body and affects older cats.

Treatment

Today, timely therapy can be very successful. In the early stages, the cat will be prescribed medications, drops, and rinsing, especially if the eyes begin to fester. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have proven themselves to be excellent, but they can negatively affect the cat’s body with prolonged use.

In all cases, instilling antiseptic drops and applying ointments will be useful; this must be done systematically. They act as a moisturizer for the eyes and at the same time inhibit the development of pathogenic microorganisms.

The diet should be rich in vitamins A and E, which ensure restoration of the epithelial layer in the cornea.

If you contact a specialist late, surgical intervention and artificial implants are possible. For this reason, it is very important to contact your veterinarian promptly. Even the most seemingly harmless disease can eventually turn into blindness for your pet.

Cats often suffer from eye problems. Some diseases are not dangerous, but some of them can cause complete loss of vision. One of the main signs of a problem is a cloudy cat's eye.

Cloudy eye in a cat: signs

If a cat's eye is cloudy, then at first glance he appears to be blind. However, this is not always the case. There is only one sign of cloudy eyes in an animal – a white veil.

A cat's eye can become cloudy for a variety of reasons.

But over time, other symptoms may appear, for example:

1. Blepharospasm and photophobia.
2. Swelling of the conjunctiva.
3. Irritability.
4. Protrusion of the eye from the socket.
5. Enlargement of the eyeball.
6. Dilatation of blood vessels in the eye.
7. The presence of purulent or mucous discharge from the eyes.
8. Sleep disturbance.
9. Loss of appetite.

You should not wait for signs of complications to appear, and if you notice clouding of the eye, you should immediately contact a veterinarian.

Common causes of cloudy eyes in cats

The most common causes of cloudy eyes are glaucoma, cataracts or keratitis. These problems are increasingly being identified in cats of different breeds and ages.

Glaucoma

When intraocular pressure increases, the size of the eyes changes, and vision begins to disappear.

The cat owner may also notice the following changes:

• the pupil is dilated;
• the cornea is almost white;
• coordination is impaired.

But the cat mostly bumps into surrounding objects only because it doesn’t see well. Moreover, the disease can affect both eyes at once. The cause of glaucoma, which can be congenital or acute, can be a severe form of keratitis or lens luxation.

Cataract

It is considered clouding of the eye that begins from the pupil. The lens may completely lose its transparency. The disease can be caused by an inflammatory disease of the eye, trauma, or a previous infection. Most often, this problem occurs in older cats due to metabolic disorders.

Cloudiness of the eye can occur due to cataracts.

Corneal lesions (keratitis)

In this case, clouding of the surface of the eye is observed. It can begin to grow from any area of ​​the eye, resembling the gradual stretching of a dense film. occurs due to an inflammatory process in the tissues of the cornea, or due to an infection in the eye. It is not uncommon for the eye to become cloudy after an injury. In any form, keratitis is a serious problem.

Keratitis is also a consequence of age-related disorders, untreated, and the formation of ulcers on the corneas.

Less Common Causes of Cloudy Cat Eyes

In addition to the above reasons, there are other “culprits” for the development of cloudy eyes:

1. Damage to the tear duct.
2. Poor care after removal of the third eyelid.
3. Bacterial infection.
4. Cancer disease.
5. Pathologies of the vitreous body.
6. Autoimmune diseases.

Important. The last point has not been studied enough. And it is considered only if other reasons are excluded.

Diagnosis of the disease

What to do if a cat's eye becomes cloudy, the doctor can tell you only after a complete examination of the pet. He will examine the cornea, eyelids, lens and determine the condition of the vitreous body.

Diagnosis today consists of the following studies:

For eye problems, the veterinarian does tonometry.

1. Schirmer test. It is carried out using special paper, which is placed in the corner of the eye and the intensity of its wetting is observed. This is necessary in order to understand whether the animal produces enough tear fluid.
2. Use of UV lamps. This method allows you to determine the presence of erosions and ulcers on the cornea. To do this, a special composition is applied to the cornea, which, if there are problems with the surface being examined, begins to fluoresce.
3. Tonometry. By measuring the pressure in the eyeball, you can identify not only existing glaucoma, but also its first signs.
4. Serological and complete blood count necessary to detect an infectious disease.
5. Research to determine infectious peritonitis.

If there is insufficient information to make an accurate diagnosis, other research methods are used:

1. Corneal cytology (scraping).
2. Tests for sensitivity to a number of drugs. If the doctor previously found out that vision was impaired due to exposure to fungi, bacteria or viruses, then he must conduct tests using certain drugs, most often antibiotics. This is necessary in order to understand which medications will be most effective in treatment.
3. Determining the presence of herpes, which is often the cause of eye problems.
4. Paracentesis is a test of the vitreous body.
5. Serology.
6. Electroretinography.
7. Ultrasound examination of the eyes. This method is used when the surface of the eyeball is very “clouded.”

Treatment methods

Many cat breeders are wondering how to treat their pet at home. The answer to this question depends on what kind of disease is detected in the animal. In some cases, treatment may be required in a veterinary clinic.

If the cause of clouding of the eye is an infectious disease, then the animal will be prescribed treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics or antibacterial drugs in fairly large doses.

In the presence of corneal ulcers or glaucoma, surgery is used. The main difficulty in this case is the severity of the therapy; often, with glaucoma, the risk is complete removal of the eye. Corneal ulcers are eliminated less painfully by excising only the affected tissue. After the operation, scars remain that prevent the animal from fully restoring vision, but the pet still remains sighted.

Treatment depends on why your cat's eye is cloudy.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are also used in the treatment of cloudy eyes. Their use also has a number of contraindications, since these drugs, when used for a long time, negatively affect the general condition of the animal’s body.

In almost all cases, no matter what disease is detected in a cat, it is prescribed to instill antiseptic drops into the conjunctival cavity and apply medicinal ointments. They are needed to moisturize the affected organ, because the liquid is a barrier to the entry and development of pathogenic microflora.

Important. If, after applying tetracycline, the eye becomes even more cloudy, you should seek advice from a veterinarian. This may indicate the presence of an individual reaction in the animal.

In addition to medications, you need to remember that the cat needs to create a comfortable environment during the treatment period. The animal requires rest and a special diet containing vitamins E and A. These supplements will help restore the affected areas of the cornea.

In some cases, complex treatment is prescribed, which consists of:

• use of tetracycline ointment or gamavit;
• washing with metrogil solution;
• use of drugs based on Actovegin;
• therapy with antiviral drugs.

Eye drops and ointments are used for treatment.

Disease prevention and care

Even the most complex eye diseases that lead to clouding can be prevented or delayed. To do this, you just need to carefully monitor your pet. Monitor your cat's eyes at least twice a day. If you notice redness, discharge from the eyes, blurred vision or pain, contact a specialist immediately. All of the above symptoms may indicate the development or worsening of the pathological process.

You can avoid problems with your pet's vision. To do this, minimize stress factors that affect your cat's vision.

If your cat suffers from an eye condition and has difficulty seeing, ensure her complete safety. To do this, remove from the room objects that may be dangerous for the animal - chairs, tables and other obstacles.

Cats often injure themselves. A surgical collar will help you avoid self-injury to your eyes. It is placed around the pet’s neck, and the cat is no longer able to reach its eyes with its paws and rub them.

In order for your cat to be treated effectively, you need to remember that all medications prescribed by your veterinarian must be used strictly according to the instructions. You do not need to prescribe medications for your pet yourself, increase or decrease the recommended dosage, or change the medication schedule.

Attention. Do not use “human” medications to treat your cat. This is especially true for eye drops. Drugs such as Vizin, Taufon, etc. are designed for human biochemistry, but for an animal they can be destructive.

Veterinary medications must be used to treat cat eyes.

You should not resort to folk remedies that suggest pouring powdered sugar into the cat’s eye or dropping milk. All this, at best, can lead to a blurred clinical picture, and the doctor will not be able to timely identify the true problem. In the worst case scenario, the animal will permanently lose its vision.

To ensure that your cat can still see clearly not only at night, but also during the day, you must monitor her closely. Any changes in the eyes and behavior of the animal should alert you.

Even the most serious disease can be overcome if you consult a specialist in a timely manner and do not self-medicate, wasting time.

Conjunctivitis Description: inflammation of the inner mucous membrane of the eye (conjunctiva). Often progresses from blepharitis. Main features: redness of the conjunctiva; mucous, serous or purulent discharge, accumulating in the corners of the eyes; itching, burning, soreness; sticking of eyelids after sleep; photophobia. Treatment: symptomatic. Preliminary eye rinsing; the use of eye drops and ointments indicated for conjunctivitis; antibiotic therapy for fever.

Third eyelid prolapse “influx” of the eyelid onto the eye (sometimes up to one third of the entire visual area). Treatment: symptomatic or surgical. Elimination of the primary disease that caused protrusion of the third eyelid; eye drops or surgical excision of the pathological area.

Keratitis Description: Inflammation of the cornea caused by trauma, bacterial infections, or helminthic infestations. May be superficial, deep or ulcerative. Loss of vision or transition to a sluggish chronic form is possible. Main symptoms: photophobia; redness of the eye; corneal clouding; vessels appear; soreness. Treatment: symptomatic and elimination of the underlying disease. Washing the eyes with antimicrobial solutions, using eye drops and ointments, antibiotic therapy for purulent process, microsurgery for deep or ulcerative keratitis.

Eosinophilic keratitis Description: The exact cause is not known, but the connection with malfunctions in immune system. Most often it does not cause discomfort to the animal. Main features: the presence of white plaques on the cornea, spreading from behind to the anterior wall; slight lacrimation; Cytology reveals a large number of eosinophils. Treatment: immunomodulatory and hormone therapy in combination with antibiotics under the strict supervision of a physician. Often, treatment of eosinophilic keratitis can lead to a deterioration in the general condition of the animal.

Dermoid Description: very rare disease, in which the internal mucous membranes or tissues of the cornea, sclera grow with connective tissue of the skin, including the presence hair follicles and hairs. It can be conjunctival, corneal or scleral. Main symptoms: detection of dermoid areas in the eyes (areas whose structure resembles skin with fur); lacrimation; constant irritation and friction of the sore eye. Treatment: surgical removal of pathological areas.

"Creeping" ulcer Description: an inflammatory process that penetrates into the eyeball through an ulcerated cornea. Main features: severe pain; photophobia; purulent discharge; penetrating corneal ulcers; increased body temperature; clouding of the eye. Treatment: symptomatic or surgical, when the purulent process lyses (dissolves) the eyeball from the inside and requires its removal. Antimicrobial therapy (antibiotics, eye drops and ointments), pain relief ( novocaine blockade or novocaine instillation), eye microsurgery to remove damaged areas of the cornea.

Uveitis Description: damage to the choroid of the eye, sometimes involving the ciliary body, iris or the entire vascular tract in the inflammatory process. Leads to blindness. Often confused with conjunctivitis. Occurs due to injury, bacterial or fungal infections, after corneal ulcers. Main features: excessive constriction of the pupil (miosis); accumulation of pus inside the eye chamber; hemorrhage inside the eye chamber; change in iris color; swelling of the eyeball; decrease in intraocular pressure. Treatment: it is treated very poorly and there is a high risk of being late. Analgesic and anti-inflammatory therapy, antispasmodics to relieve miosis, antimicrobials. If unsuccessful conservative treatment the eyeball is removed.

Iritis (iridocyclitis) Description: inflammation of the iris and ciliary body due to injuries, inflammation passing from the cornea, complications after eye surgery, infections brought in by the bloodstream. Often accompanied by conjunctivitis. Main symptoms: constriction of the pupil; soreness; dimming of the iris; turbidity of the fluid in the anterior chamber of the eye; photophobia; serous-purulent discharge when conjunctivitis occurs. Treatment: atropine to restore pupil contractions, novocaine blockade, antibiotic therapy. Good effect give eye drops and ointments with anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects.

Description: increased intraocular pressure with enlargement of the eyeball. Often it is not a primary disease and accompanies other eye pathologies. Leads to irreversible loss of the animal’s vision if treatment is not started in a timely manner. It is often asymptomatic. There are open-angle and closed-angle. Main features: Typically, striking symptoms accompany angle-closure glaucoma: redness of the eyes; swelling of the eyelids; severe pain; nausea, vomiting, weakness; corneal clouding; redness (blueness) of the pupil when light is refracted. Treatment: normalization of intraocular pressure special drugs(pilocarpine, for example), diuretics to improve the outflow of excess fluid from the body, analgesic therapy, retrobulbar administration of chlorpromazine. In rare cases, extirpation of the eyeball.

Cataract Description: clouding of the lens. It is difficult to treat and often leads to blindness. The disease is associated with a disruption of substances in the lens with increased breakdown of protein components. Causes: injuries, infections, chronic inflammatory processes In eyes. Main features: cloudiness of the eye - it seems to be covered with a whitish, cloudy film; dilated pupil that does not respond to light. Treatment: Conservatively, you can only slow down the degenerative processes a little (with eye drops for cataracts). Maybe surgery– replacement of a clouded lens, however, these operations currently exist only in theory, because There are few people willing to undergo such an extremely expensive procedure.

Degenerative processes in the retina (dystrophy, atrophy, detachment) Description: a complex of pathological processes leading to degeneration of the retina with disruption of its functions, even death. Often found in Siamese and Abyssinian cats. There are many reasons: trauma, inflammation, metabolic disorders (lack of taurine) and retinal nutrition, vitamin deficiencies, autoimmune diseases. Main symptoms: night blindness; sudden complete blindness; severe pupil dilation and dullness. Treatment: symptomatic, which slightly inhibits degenerative processes. A complete cure is impossible. Cat food is enriched with taurine. Concomitant diseases are treated.

Dacryocystitis Description: inflammation of the lacrimal sac with obstruction of the nasolacrimal duct due to its narrowing. It often occurs after prolonged conjunctivitis. Main features: mucous or purulent discharge; swelling in the outer upper corner of the eye orbit; soreness; swelling of the upper eyelid; enlargement of the lacrimal gland until it can be felt; abscesses (accumulation of pus in the tissues around the eyes). Treatment: symptomatic or surgical. Symptomatic treatment is used to relieve inflammation and pain (novocaine blockade); Absorbable ointments (ichthyol, Vishnevsky) are used. Surgical cleaning of the lacrimal canal or extirpation of the lacrimal gland is possible.

Prolapse (or dislocation) of the eyeball (exophthalmos) Description: The main causes are injury or genetic predisposition of certain breeds (Persians). Main symptoms: the eyeball is located outside the orbit. Treatment: surgical in a hospital. Independent attempts at adjustment are prohibited! Depending on the causes and duration of the condition, the eyeball with exophthalmos may need to be removed.

Recession of the eyeball inward (enophthalmos) Main features: lacrimation; pupil reduction; the emergence of the third century; narrowing of the eye opening; visible location of the eyeball, as if inside the orbit; Possible loss of coordination of movement. Treatment: diagnostic and symptomatic. When epinephrine is instilled into the eyes, the time of pupil dilation is observed. If the problems lie outside the head and spinal cord, then the pupil will dilate in 15-20 minutes. Otherwise, the expansion will be noted no earlier than after 35-45 minutes. This is an aid in making a diagnosis. It is possible to eliminate the symptom of sunken eyeball after treating the underlying disease.

Panophthalmos Description: a very rare and particularly severe disease in which absolutely all parts and tissues of the eye are involved in the purulent process. Main features: copious purulent discharge; enlargement of the eyeball; redness of all internal mucous membranes of the eye; corneal clouding; decreased or loss of vision. Treatment: surgical. The eyeball is removed, the orbit is septically treated, and then sutured.

Corneal sequestration Description: often affects cat breeds with physiological exophthalmos (Persians, Sphynxes). The area of ​​the cornea dries out, becomes thinner, becomes injured and dies (necrotizes). Main symptoms: squinting; increased lacrimation; the presence of red-black or dark brown spots (sequestria) on the cornea; with significant sequester sizes – visual impairment. Treatment: microsurgical to remove spots on the cornea.

Reasons for the development of the anomaly

There are a lot of eye diseases in cats; let’s look at the symptoms and causes of the most common diseases.

Wounds and bruises

Cats receive these injuries after fights or falls. Wounds can be deep, superficial and through. Main symptom– redness and swelling, sometimes bleeding.

Inflammation of the eyelids

There are phlegmous and simple inflammation of the eyelids. In the first case, the eyelid swells and purulent mucus flows from the eye. With simple inflammation, the cat scratches the affected eye, the eyelids become red and thickened. It occurs due to vitamin deficiency or eczema, and phlegmatic inflammation is caused by deep wounds and strong scratching.

Turn of the century

Photo. Entropion of a cat's eyelid.

When inversion occurs, the skin of the eyelid turns inward, which causes severe inflammation. If you do not provide assistance to the animal, keratitis or conjunctivitis may develop, and in advanced cases, volvulus develops into a corneal ulcer.

Symptoms of the disease are photophobia and lacrimation, the eyelid swells and changes appearance. Volvulus can be caused by foreign bodies entering the eye, exposure to chemical substances or untreated conjunctivitis.

Conjunctivitis and its varieties

Photo. Conjunctivitis and its varieties.

Conjunctivitis is one of the most common diseases among cats. It has several varieties:

• allergic;
• purulent;
• acute catarrhal;
• follicular.

Allergic conjunctivitis is caused by contact with an allergen. At first, clear discharge flows from the eye, which becomes purulent if left untreated.

Purulent conjunctivitis causes a general deterioration in the cat's condition. There is abundant purulent discharge from the eyes, and the body temperature rises. Animals often experience vomiting and diarrhea.

Acute catarrhal conjunctivitis causes severe swelling and redness of the eyes. The cat is in pain, there is serous-mucous discharge and lacrimation. main reason– injuries, the disease also develops after infections and with a lack of vitamin A.

Keratitis and its types

Keratitis is a disease of the eye cornea. The most common types of this disease are:

• superficial purulent;
• superficial vascular;
• deep purulent.

With superficial purulent keratitis, the epithelial (upper) layer of the cornea suffers. The cat is worried and feels constant pain, photophobia develops. The cornea becomes grayish and swelling appears. This type of keratitis develops after injury.

With superficial vascular keratitis, capillaries grow into the upper layers of the cornea, causing clouding of the eye. The symptoms are the same as for superficial purulent keratitis.

Deep purulent keratitis is a more serious disease caused by microbes that have penetrated the corneal stroma. The cat constantly scratches the affected eye and is afraid of light. The cornea takes on a white-yellow hue. Vascularization (growth of capillaries into the cornea) is observed. The causes of the disease are infections and injuries.

Corneal ulcer

Photo. Corneal ulcer in cats.

Deep wounds and infections lead to corneal ulcers. Often this disease is a complication of purulent keratitis. There are two types of corneal ulcers: perforated and purulent. The main symptom is strong pain, so the animal will be very restless.

With a perforated ulcer, purulent discharge is observed from the eyes, and the cornea becomes gray-blue. Sometimes there are spasms of the eyelids and fear of bright light. After the ulcers heal, scars form.

Photo. Glaucoma in cats.

This disease can be congenital, closed-angle or open-angle. The main symptom is a constant or periodic increase in pressure inside the eye. With open-angle glaucoma, the cornea becomes cloudy, colorless and loses sensitivity.

The eyeball greatly enlarges and hardens. With angle-closure glaucoma, the cornea becomes cloudy in a ring-like manner, and vascularization develops. The causes of this disease are: complications of deep purulent keratitis, hemorrhage, swelling or dislocation of the lens.

Cataract

Photo. Cataracts in cats

A cataract is a clouding of the lens. It comes in several types:

• congenital;
• toxic;
• traumatic;
• symptomatic.

In the final stages of the disease, the animal has difficulty seeing in the affected eye. The lens becomes white or bluish. Cataracts develop after infections, as well as after inflammation and trauma. It often affects older cats.

In principle, clouding of the eye, whether it is clouding of the cornea or lens, can be a consequence various diseases, unless there was purely mechanical damage.
Most often, clouding of a cat's eye is caused by inflammation of the cornea, which, in turn, has the medical name “keratitis.”

Various ulcers and erosions of the cornea are common, which are usually age-related changes that occur directly to the animal.

The appearance of a cloudy film in front of a cat’s eyes indicates problems with the lens. This is what doctors call a natural lens that serves as a conductor of light to the retina. The accumulation of mineral and organic substances in its tissues leads to the destruction of protein structures. As a result, the biological lens becomes covered with epithelial cells and stops refracting light.

Causes of cloudy eyes in cats veterinary ophthalmologists consider:

1. Intrauterine developmental defects. Congenital cataract observed in pets whose mothers experienced a lack of nutrients during pregnancy, experienced worm attacks, or suffered from exacerbations of chronic diseases.
2. Natural aging process. Full functioning of the organ of vision is possible provided that the balance of proteins, water and minerals is maintained in it. IN old age your pet's metabolism slows down. The result of this is a lack of fluid and deposition of lipids, proteins, as well as calcium and phosphorus salts on the surface of the lens.
3. Mechanical damage or infection of the organ of vision or head. The cause of eye cataracts in cats can be a contusion, bruise, or penetration of a foreign object into the organ of vision. Physical injuries lead to inflammation, which leads to the biological lens becoming draped.
4. Metabolic disorder. Diabetes mellitus is often the culprit of progressive clouding of the lens in cats. Insulin deficiency leads to increased content blood sugar. "Rolling" in large volumes Glucose promotes the development of prerequisites for cataracts. Clouding of the eye lens is often caused by urolithiasis or obesity.
5. Complications of other ophthalmological pathologies. Cloudiness of a cat's eye may be a consequence of disorders such as glaucoma, iridocyclitis, conjunctivitis, ectropions and entropions.
6. Prolonged or incorrect use of medications.
7. Allergic reactions that promote the production of serotonin.

Cataract is a disease with “preferences”. More often than other breeds, Persians and exotic short-haired purrs are susceptible to it. Fold-eared Britons and Scots are less likely to be attacked. The risk group includes old animals that have reached 8-9 years of age.

Clinical picture and diagnosis

Diagnosing this pathology is relatively simple, since the symptoms are typical. There is cloudiness - there is also a thorn. It comes in three types: peripheral, central and total. It is easy to understand that in the first case, clouding develops on the “outskirts” of the eyeball, in the second - in its center, and in the third - it covers the entire eye.

But sometimes this clinical picture may be “diluted” with other symptoms:

• The cat develops vision problems in one or both eyes: he clearly cannot see objects on one side or both, and may bump into furniture, interior items, or his owner.

• Due to the previous reason, the animal becomes nervous, excitable, and its behavior sometimes changes greatly.

• If the reason is a thorn - inflammatory reaction, then the cat hisses in pain when trying to “wash” or rub its eyes. In other cases, pain occurs extremely rarely.

• There may be discharge from the eye.

• An eyesore in a kitten often begins with redness and swelling of the cornea.

To identify the true cause of the disease, the cat must undergo a full examination; the veterinarian will need information from the owners: what the animal ate, who it came into contact with, whether it suffers from any diseases (and how it is treated in this case). This data will help compile big picture diseases.

Corneal ulcers are identified by staining it with fluorescein, tonometry (determination of intraocular pressure), ophthalmoscopy and other types are performed. diagnostic studies. A complete blood count (CBC), serology, and blood chemistry tests are also indicated. Additionally can be used:

• Cytology and/or microscopic examination of scrapings.

• Sowing smears on nutrient media.

• Obtaining samples of intraocular fluids and examining them.

• If for one reason or another the retina or cornea cannot be checked, ultrasound of the eyeball is performed.

• Gonioscopy is used if glaucoma is suspected.

Classification

Conventionally, all eye diseases in cats are divided into two large groups:

• diseases and damage to the protective devices of the organ of vision;
• diseases and damage directly to the organ of vision (or eyeball).

The first category of diseases includes:

• bruises and any mechanical damage without compromising the integrity of the skin;
• wounds and mechanical injuries with skin tears and bleeding;
• blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelids);
• inversion (eversion) of the eyelids (when the free edge of the eyelids turns inward or turns outward from the eyeball);
• fusion of the eyelids (congenital or acquired);
• lagophthalmos (impossibility of closing the eyelids);
• ptosis (incontinence of the upper eyelid);
• tumors and various neoplasms.

The second category of diseases includes:

• conjunctivitis;
• prolapse of the third eyelid;
• keratitis (cornea pathologies);
• eosinophilic keratitis (damage to the cornea with the formation of white plaques);
• dermoid ( benign tumor conjunctiva);
• “creeping” ulcer (infection inside the eye due to pathogenic microflora entering through the inflamed cornea);
• uveitis (pathology of the vascular system);
• iritis or iridocyclitis (pathology of the ciliary body and iris);
• glaucoma (increased pressure inside the eye);
• cataract (cloudy lens);
• degenerative processes in the retina (dystrophy, atrophy, detachment);
• dacryocystitis (impaired patency of the lacrimal canal);
• prolapse of the eyeball (exophthalmos);
• depression of the eyeball inwards (enophthalmos);
• panophthalmos (very rare purulent inflammation all membranes of the organ of vision);
• corneal sequestration (necrosis (death) of corneal tissue).

Almost all eye pathologies (infectious and non-infectious) have a number of similar symptomatic manifestations:

• lacrimation,
• various types of discharge,
• soreness,
• swelling or other changes in appearance,
• photophobia, etc.

Eye diseases in cats should be treated by a specialist, because only a veterinarian can accurately diagnose and minimize the risks of vision loss in an animal.

• Inflammatory
• Non-inflammatory

Inflammatory eye diseases in cats include conjunctivitis, keratitis, keratoconjunctivitis, iritis, inflammation of the nasolacrimal duct (yes, we must not forget that eye diseases in cats also include problems with the duct, orbit and other tissues surrounding the eye), blepharitis, panophthalmitis and others .

Non-inflammatory ones include bruises (and other injuries), a foreign body in the eye, entropion of the eyelid, prolapse of the eyeball, cataracts, glaucoma and others.

The course can be subacute, acute, chronic. And the symptoms of eye disease in cats do not disappear over time, but only fade a little. But this only increases the risk that the animal vision will decrease or other health problems will appear (especially if the cause of the cat’s eye disease is an infection).

Eye diseases in cats are primary and secondary. Primary is when the changes that have occurred in the eyes are the underlying disease. Secondary is when problems with the “mirrors of the soul” have already appeared due to a more serious health problem (for example, an infectious disease), then we can safely say that conjunctivitis is one of the symptoms.

Now let’s briefly go over the main eye diseases in cats.

Below is a classification of eye diseases in cats, symptoms characteristic of each disease, as well as an approximate treatment regimen.

Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis in cats is perhaps the most common eye disease.

Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eyelids is called conjunctivitis. There are many types of it:

• Catarrhal;
• Purulent;
• Ulcerative;
• Follicular.

There are many reasons for this inflammation. The most common ones are getting in the eye. foreign body(grains of sand or hairs, for example), vitamin deficiency, injuries, infections. In babies (especially kittens), inflammation from the nasal cavity (a seemingly harmless runny nose) quickly spreads to the eyes. Therefore, not only rhinitis is recorded in them, but also inflammation of the nasolacrimal duct and purulent conjunctivitis.

When an animal has conjunctivitis, the mucous membrane of the eyelids turns red, swells, and tears flow. Pus may also appear (but not immediately; first, catarrhal conjunctivitis, which, depending on the cause of its appearance, gradually or extremely quickly “turns” into purulent).

The first step is to determine what caused this inflammation? If it is a foreign body, then you just need to rinse the eye and, to prevent complications, apply tetracycline eye ointment to the lower eyelid a couple of times a day (eye ointment is always 1%!). You can purchase it at veterinary pharmacy, and in “human”. This is not a scarce medicine at all and costs a penny. It is best if you always have it in your first aid kit.

Just don’t apply it to your finger and then to your eye. This creates an even greater risk that you will get an infection (your hands are not sterile, no matter how much you wash them at home laundry soap). And you don’t need to touch the “nose” of the tube to lower eyelid so as not to introduce pathogenic microorganisms into the tube of ointment.

So, the next time you apply it (even if not for tomorrow), you will introduce pathogens directly to the inflamed area. And instead of treating conjunctivitis in a cat or dog, it will become over-infected.

However, you should not self-medicate as soon as you see tears in your cat or whitish crusts in the inner corner of the eyes. Firstly, this way you can only “drown out” the symptom, while the underlying disease will rage with all its might. Secondly, you may not guess with the dosage or even the drug, which will lead to the transition to catarrhal acute inflammation mucous membrane of the eyelid into chronic, but already purulent or follicular.

Clinical signs of conjunctivitis in a cat or dog will subside, but will not disappear. And this will certainly affect visual acuity. The symptoms purulent conjunctivitis in addition to yellow crusts in the morning after sleep or obvious yellow (or even greenish) discharge, there is an increase in body temperature. This is understandable.

And the clinical sign of such a pathology will be an increase in temperature. But whether it will increase only in the affected area of ​​the body or in the entire body immediately depends on the state of your pet’s immunity. the weaker it is, the higher the temperature.

Now about follicular conjunctivitis. Everything is much more complicated here. A simple tetracycline ointment or intramuscular antibiotics is not enough. The fact is that near the third eyelid (and it is located in the inner corner, this normally pink “skin”) the lymph nodes become inflamed. they enlarge, swell, and prevent the animal from blinking. It cannot be done without surgical intervention by a veterinarian. After the operation, the doctor will prescribe ointments and injections.

Keratitis

We’ve sorted out the inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eyelids, but what is the name for damage to the cornea in cats? Keratitis. It doesn't matter whether it was caused by injury or infection. It would seem, how can one examine some kind of pathology on a transparent cornea, especially if the pet blinks or does not even want to open its eyes because it hurts? But some symptoms will still help you recognize keratitis in a cat.

This is lacrimation. With keratitis, tears flow constantly and in large quantities from the affected eye. It’s as if the body is trying to “wash out” the lesion. The mustache will try to keep this eye closed, and if it is very bright in the room (or on the street), it will close its eyes completely. This is called photophobia.

Agree, it’s very difficult not to notice this. You can determine whether an infectious disease is the root cause of keratitis yourself. If pathogenic microorganisms (bacteria, viruses) are to blame, then both eyes almost always immediately suffer. With fungi it is more complicated; they do not immediately move to the second organ of vision. However, in any case, you need to seek veterinary help as soon as possible.

Without treatment, in almost 100% of cases, conjunctivitis is added to keratitis (since there are plenty of microorganisms in the air) and the pet already has another disease - keratoconjunctivitis.

That is, in addition to lacrimation and photophobia, there are also Clinical signs, characteristic of inflammation of the eyelid mucosa. Pus begins to come out very quickly.

If the cause of keratitis in a cat was not a wound (a scratch on the cornea can also appear from a foreign body under the eyelid, after a fight), then the transparent membrane of the eye ceases to shine, becomes cloudy, and discharge (often purulent) accumulates in the corner of the eye.

Third eyelid

The nictitating membrane in cats is a unique protective “device” provided by nature. If you are planning to treat a cat’s eye disease – prolapse of the third eyelid, then first find out about the functions of this amazing feature. With the help of the nictitating membrane, the eyes are always protected from various damages and contact with the cornea.

The membrane (inner eyelid) helps maintain the health of the mucous surface of the eyes. In addition to cats, some other mammals and birds are endowed with a similar protective organ.

Eye disease in cats - third eyelid: loss is manifested by the following signs:

• uncontrollable spasms of the orbicularis oculi muscle (twitching and closing of the eyelids);
• increased lacrimation and redness around the eye;
• purulent or mucous discharge;
• massive formation in the corners of the eyes.

This pathology is similar to adenoma. It is very important to distinguish between these eye diseases in cats, the treatment of which, if misdiagnosed, can provoke the development dangerous illness– keratoconjunctivitis, from which the pet cannot be completely cured.

The third eyelid in cats is a definition that is commonly used as the name of a pathology - prolapse of the nictitating membrane, which provokes the presence of any diseases. Among them are often found:

In the early stages, the ophthalmological disorder does not show itself in any way. The first obvious symptoms of cataracts in a cat appear after the optical areas of the lens begin to suffer. In veterinary practice, there are four stages of disease progression:

1. Initial. The peripheral section of the optical system is the first to take the hit. The animal has difficulty distinguishing the contours of objects and loses visual acuity. At this stage, the owner may not recognize the disease, since the pet still manages to navigate in space.
2. Immature (swelling). It is characterized by a twitching of the eye with a whitish or blue coating, making it difficult for the purr to coordinate its movements when jumping. The animal sees worse at dusk and in the dark.
3. Mature. The owner notices that the cat has a constantly dilated, cloudy pupil. Complete clouding of the lens occurs when the fluffy has to navigate towards the light and bump into pieces of furniture. The animal becomes apathetic and lethargic.
4. Overripe (terminal). Identified by liquefaction of the lens. On the cat's eye the replacement is dense white film. Complete loss of luster in the organ of vision indicates about the onset of blindness.

Cataracts in cats (example in the photo) can affect either one eye or both at once.

Diseases and damage to the protective devices of the organ of vision, photographs, symptoms

Bruises and mechanical injuries without breaking the integrity occurs as a result of impact with a blunt object or other mechanical damage (falling, bumping into non-sharp objects). Symptoms: bruising; hematomas (accumulation of blood clots in the tissues around the eyes); swelling with increased local temperature within the injury; changes in the size of the eyeball. Treatment: will depend on the severity of the damage and it is necessary to show the animal to a veterinarian. The eye is washed, if there is pain, 2% novocaine, antimicrobial drops or ointments are applied; cold may be needed for hematomas (only on the eyelid area, not on the eyeball). In case of complications, surgical intervention with removal of the eye is possible.

Wounds and open lesions cat fights, strong blows, falls on sharp objects, etc., which leads to rupture of skin tissue. Main features: violation of the integrity of the skin; obvious bleeding from visible injured areas, Treatment: washing the damaged area with hydrogen peroxide (without getting on the cornea), hemostatic therapy, sutures may be required, anesthesia, local antimicrobial therapy, surgical intervention for complex damage to the organ of vision (eye microsurgery or removal of the entire organ).

Blepharitis inflammation of the eyelids, provoked by injuries, bacterial or fungal infections, vitamin deficiency, disorders of the pancreas and liver, allergic reactions. Main features: redness of the eyelids; swelling; profuse lacrimation; photophobia; itching and burning; loss of hair and eyelashes around the eyelids. Treatment: symptomatic. Rinsing sore eyes with a decoction of chamomile or calendula, solution boric acid, manganese or furatsilin. The use of eye drops indicated for blepharitis. For purulent infection - antibiotic therapy.

Entropion of the eyelids Description: a consequence of some eye diseases (blepharitis, conjunctivitis, etc.), as well as a genetic predisposition of some cat breeds (Persians and Sphynxes). Main features: visual turning of the eyelid into the eye; irritation of the eyeball in the form of redness; blepharospasm (reflexive closing of the eyelids and closing of the eye at the slightest tactile or light influence on it due to spasm of the teres muscle); ulcers on the cornea in places of constant contact with the eyelid; lacrimation. Treatment: surgical.

Eversion of the eyelids Description: a consequence of primary eye diseases in a chronic course and a feature of some cat breeds. It occurs very rarely - less often than bloat. Main features: spastic closure of the eye (blepharospasm); lacrimation; visible area of ​​the eyelid mucosa at the site of eversion; inflammation of the conjunctiva. Treatment: surgical.

Fusion of eyelids Description: May be congenital or acquired. Physiological fusion is observed after birth. Acquired fusion is observed after injuries, prolonged blepharitis, chemical or thermal burns. Main features: inability to separate eyelids; the presence of a continuous strip of skin between the eyelids; the presence of a scar between fused eyelids. Treatment: surgical – eyelid separation, postoperative care.

Lagophthalmos Description: inability to completely cover the eye, resulting from paralysis facial nerve, eversion and inversion of the eyelids, genetic shortness of the eyelids (“half-closed” eye). Main features: constantly slightly open palpebral fissure; lacrimation; lag of the lower eyelid from the eyeball. Treatment: surgical with preliminary use of antimicrobial eye drops and corneal protectors.

Ptosis Description: Involuntary drooping of the upper eyelid due to facial paralysis or orbicularis muscle atrophy. It can also be a consequence of inflammatory eye diseases. Main features: narrowness palpebral fissure; inability to raise the eyelid to normal level. Treatment: surgical.

Tumors and various neoplasms Description: the development of tumors in the eye area can be triggered by any disease in this area, as well as a genetic predisposition to cancer. Main features: visible neoplasms upon examination; lacrimation; painlessness. Treatment: surgical.

Third eyelid

In a situation where the third eyelid is visible only in one eye, it is recommended to check the cat for the presence of pathologies such as:

• getting a foreign object under the nictitating membrane;
• traumatic injuries to the white membrane, cornea, cartilage or facial nerve;
• symblepharon;
• bacterial inflammation of the membrane.

It should be taken into account that membrane prolapse can occur in both eyes. The reasons for such a violation may be:

• bilateral conjunctivitis;
• fusion of part of the third eyelid with the eyeball;
• helminthiasis

Remember that the treatment regimen for cats' eyes can only be selected and prescribed by a specialist with veterinary education. Under no circumstances should you prescribe medications yourself, much less use eye drops and ointments intended for people. The only thing you can do at home is to wash your eyes with warm boiled water or chamomile decoction.

Sometimes a fallen membrane will repair itself within a few hours. If this does not happen, you will have to resort to surgical intervention.

Blepharitis

Blepharitis in cats is simply called inflammation of the eyelid. Blepharitis is also classified into “simple”, ulcerative, scaly, and meibomian. If you don’t notice in time that the eyelid is red, swollen, and prevents the cat from opening its eyes, then you may not have time to start treatment in time.

Without a competent treatment regimen, “simple” blepharitis can easily and quickly turn into ulcerative blepharitis. First, a purulent plaque forms along the line of growth of the cilia, and under the plaque (more precisely, when it begins to fall off), ulcers begin to appear. It’s much more difficult to fight him.

The pet tries to scratch the eye, which can lead to injury, since clawed paws can easily injure the cornea or the same inflamed eyelid. As the purulent plaque and sores spread, blepharitis in a cat leads to loss of eyelashes. There is a high risk that the disease will “spread” to the conjunctiva, to the eye itself, which will lead to the development of a completely different disease - panophthalmitis. And here you will have to act very quickly if you do not want your pet to be left without an eye.

Panophthalmitis

It is registered extremely rarely, but similar cases are still observed. A very serious disease, since it is characterized by damage to all tissues of the eye. The symptoms of panophthalmitis are the same in cats and dogs. First, the affected eyeball noticeably increases in size, and purulent discharge appears (panophthalmitis always occurs due to infection, hence the pus).

Unfortunately, the animal will not be able to save its eye. To prevent the infection from spreading to the brain, the diseased organ of vision is completely removed and the eyelids are sutured. To prevent this from happening, do not give up on your pet’s excessive tearing (even if this is a predisposition of the breed), and do not spit on the crusts of pus in the corners of the eyes or on the fur under them.

As soon as something alerts you, or you notice a symptom, immediately contact your veterinarian-ophthalmologist. There is no need to rinse with decoctions, drip antibiotics, or smear everything. This will only “muffle” the clinical signs, making it difficult to make a final diagnosis. And this will affect the development of a treatment regimen. Without it, your pet's recovery is impossible.

Cataract

Cataracts cause the lens of a cat to become cloudy. It is more often registered in older pets, however, it can also develop in young kittens if the cause is an infection. The main symptom you may notice is blurred vision. The animal bumps into objects, walks carefully, slowly, and is poorly oriented in space, especially in new terrain.

Having established the cause of the disease, the veterinarian-ophthalmologist will prescribe drug treatment. Only if it does not help will surgery be prescribed. Self-medication is extremely dangerous. First, the animal may lose vision in that eye completely. Secondly, if the cause was an infection, then panophthalmitis, which was described above, may develop.

Inflammation of the nasolacrimal ducts

Another common eye disease in cats and kittens. It occurs due to the fact that the tubules that “connect the eye and nose” (to explain as simply as possible) become clogged. Many people had no idea about the presence of such tubules. But if you remember a crying person, you probably noticed that it was flowing not only from the eyes, but also from the nose.

The symptom is excessive lacrimation. It can be mistaken for a sign of keratitis or conjunctivitis because of this, but no ointment will help. The only way to help an animal is by probing. Yes, it is very painful, but after the procedure the cat immediately feels better. Literally without leaving the veterinarian's office, your pet will feel relief.

More antibiotics will be prescribed to prevent the development of infection. But usually after a week they are canceled, and the cat is re-examined. And if everything is fine, then the mustache is considered recovered.

Wounds of the eyelids

They can be superficial (when there is only a scratch), deep (when several layers of skin are damaged) and through (the eyelid is completely damaged). Cats injure their eyelids much more often than dogs, especially fighters.

If the wound is superficial, then it will need to be washed and treated with an antiseptic (at least with iodine, but only if the wound is outside the eyelid!). if it is deep or through, then only to the veterinarian. It will be necessary to thoroughly treat it, remove all foreign particles from the wound cavity, and also apply sutures. If the wound is through, then you need to make sure that the cornea is not injured.

Turn of the century

Most often, the lower eyelid is rolled up. At the same time, its edge bends inward (towards the cornea), this is not just uncomfortable. This is very painful. Don't forget about the hard cilia that rub against the conjunctiva and cornea. As a result, chronic keratoconjunctivitis can easily develop due to volvulus (volvulus is less common in cats).

There are three types of glaucoma in cats: congenital, open-angle and closed-angle. With this disease, the animal's intraocular pressure increases. A symptom of glaucoma that the owner may notice is a greatly dilated pupil. The vessels cannot withstand the pressure, so they burst. And areas of hemorrhage are visible both on the conjunctiva and on the eye itself. The apple increases in size and becomes very hard (the pressure inside goes off scale).

Cataract

Diagnostics

The examination of the animal is carried out in a certain order, which allows you not to miss details or nuances when differentiating the diagnosis:

• assessment of vision of the damaged organ (preserved or not);
• assessment of general appearance and comparison of symmetrical features (size and shape of pupils, size of the palpebral fissure, size and changes in the eyelids, size of the eyeballs);
• assessment of the condition of the eyeball (size, shape, presence of injuries, location in the pupil).

First of all, the veterinarian will urgently try to determine the nature and severity of the injury received by the sick animal. This can be done using either a simple collection and analysis of a medical history or a number of specialized tests.

A high-quality examination of a sick animal is very important. It is imperative to check whether the animal has a closed head injury or fractures. facial section the skull, whether the intracranial sinuses are damaged (this risks the cat simply choking on blood) and the jaw. If there are signs of other injuries (the animal fell from the balcony, resulting in damage to more than just the eye), the cat should be urgently sent for a more detailed examination.

And only after this can you completely switch to examining the affected eye. So, to identify possible corneal lesions, special staining is used. When special compounds are applied, ulcerative lesions begin to glow brightly in ultraviolet light. If in a particular case the veterinarian has any doubts, he can send the cat for a separate examination by an “animal” ophthalmologist. Other research methods:

• In severe cases where eye injury is caused an animal falling from a height or getting hit vehicle, it is highly recommended to examination by a veterinary neurologist.

• Mandatory X-ray of the skull to identify possible fractures and other damage to its internal structures.

• If the animal's eyes are too cloudy for visual examination, or the veterinarian suspects that some structures directly behind the eyeball have been damaged due to injury, a ultrasonography throughout the affected area.

• Computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is prescribed in all cases where an eye injury has developed due to severe head impacts.

How is eye injury in cats treated? It all depends on the type of damage and its cause. If the injury is severe (for example, eye loss and traumatic brain injury), the cat will have to be treated exclusively in a hospital setting, resorting to surgery. When the cat is lucky and all the damage is limited to the eyelid wound, he is treated with ointments and eye drops. Not in all cases even sutures are required, since more often such wounds heal well on their own.

If your pet is prescribed treatment at home, strictly follow all the veterinarian's recommendations. This is especially true when the animal has to wear a surgical collar. Don't take it off. Even if a cat has a “complaining face,” it can become much more pitiful if he manages to comb and scratch his sore eye.

If you notice the first signs of cataracts in your meowing friend, immediately take him to a veterinary ophthalmologist. The doctor should conduct a visual examination of the furry patient. The following are recognized as effective methods for detecting anomalies:

• side lighting method;
• biomicroscopy;
• retroillumination (helps accurately determine the location of the clouding);
• Ultrasound examination;
• retinal electroretinography.

Treatment of eye diseases

High intraocular pressure in a cat affects not only visual acuity, but also overall well-being. This is very painful, and you can’t do it without the help of a veterinarian (ideally an ophthalmologist). The veterinarian will determine the cause. In some cases, drugs that dilate the pupil help. But if the cause of glaucoma in a cat or dog is associated with lens luxation, then surgical intervention is necessary.

This is only a small part of eye diseases in cats. There are so many types of injuries, burns, inflammatory processes. It’s impossible to talk about everything at once in one article.

Still have questions? You can ask them to our site's in-house veterinarian in the comment box below, who as soon as possible will answer them.

Antibiotic drops and ointments are used to treat diseases. Wash the eye with a solution of furatsilin or potassium permanganate. After this, apply ointment or drop drops:

• Gentamicin 0.5%;
• Levomecithin 0.25%;
• Colbiocin;
• Ciprobid.

To quickly heal wounds, Solcoseryl gel (Actovegin) is successfully used; it is placed behind the eyelid. Ointments for treating cat eyes include tetracycline, neomycin and erythromycin.

With more serious illness In addition to local medications, the antibiotic Cefazolin is used. It is diluted in 5 ml of novocaine and administered intramuscularly; the exact dosage is determined by a veterinarian. Suprastin or Tavegil (tablets or injections) are prescribed with an antibiotic to eliminate allergic reactions.

Therapy

So, is it possible to cure a cat's eyesore? Sometimes they use traditional methods(although we still do not recommend doing this). Honey showed good results. More precisely, his water solution. If you put a few drops a day into the affected eye, there is some chance of success. But the treatment folk remedies It won’t help you if the cat has some kind of dangerous infectious disease, and you won’t be able to cure intraocular pressure this way.

It is safer to seek help from scientific methods. The eyes are washed with Metrogyl and Gamavit is administered parenterally. In many cases, tetracycline ointment or Actovegin-based products will not hurt. But it's not always that simple. If a cataract appears as a consequence or a precursor of glaucoma, then the eyeball sometimes has to be completely removed.

Products for daily cat eye care

To ensure that cats do not have problems with their eyes, they should be constantly looked after, and for some breeds, regular eye washing is simply necessary. To do this use special means for animals.

Rinse drops are used as follows:

• drop 1-2 drops of the drug into each eye;
• Gently massage the cat's eyelids;
• Remove the preparation with a clean cotton pad;
• carry out the procedure twice a day.

Use lotions to remove tear tracks. They are applied to a cotton pad and gently wiped over the hair around the eyes. This procedure should be done once a day for a week. If necessary, the course is repeated.

Here are the most popular drops and lotions for cat eye care:

• Diamond Eyes (drops);
• BEAPHAR Oftal (drops);
• BEAPHAR Sensitiv (lotion);
• Bars (lotion);
• Tsiprovet et al.

Prevention measures

We found out why a cat gets a film on its eye and how you can get rid of it. And following the recommendations below will not give cataracts a chance to ruin your furry pet’s vision:

• Make sure that no foreign objects get into your pet’s eyes;
• Have regular examinations with an ophthalmologist;
• do not trigger the progression of hormonal dysfunctions in the animal;
• do not delay the treatment of conjunctivitis and other eye diseases;
• Enrich your cat’s menu with minerals and vitamins A, B, C.

Clouding of the lens is a completely solvable problem. The care and attention of the owner, timely veterinary care will allow the fluffy to return a shiny and clean look.

Cloudiness of one eye or both is caused by damage to the cornea or lens, the accumulation of excess fluid in them. Most often, one organ of vision becomes cloudy and in simple terms is called a thorn.

Causes of cloudy eyes in cats

Cloudiness of a cat's eye may be due to inflammatory processes or allergic reactions.

There are many reasons for this phenomenon.

The most common cause of occurrence is mechanical damage. In appearance it looks like a cloudy film or a milky stain.

With the appearance of such a symptom, the pet’s vision weakens, and most often cannot be restored. Also the reason may be , inflammatory processes, metabolic imbalance . Intraocular fluid caused by an excess of leukocytes, protein or lipids.

Cloudiness of the lens of the eye

Lens cloudiness can occur in any breed of cat.

Cloudiness of the lens is a characteristic sign of cataracts.

Inflammation of the vitreous body is also characterized by the presence of a cataract. All breeds of cats are susceptible to the disease, regardless of season, gender and age. A cataract may appear as a complication in all ophthalmological diseases.

Establishing diagnosis

To determine the cause of the pathology, an examination of the eyeball is performed.

It is possible to establish the true cause of the pathology through a comprehensive examination, which includes:

• taking anamnesis;
• use of fluorescein;
• tonometry;
• ophthalmoscopy;
• serological, ;
• cytology or microscopy;
• smear culture;
• examination of intraocular fluid samples;
• Ultrasound of the eyeball;
• gonioscopy.

History taking includes information about the animal’s contacts, menu composition, the presence of concurrent diseases and methods of their treatment. To determine the presence of ulcers, the cornea is stained with a fluorescent substance.

Main symptoms

When the cat gets sick, it shows nervousness and increased excitability.

The main symptom, it would seem, is so pronounced that there should be no doubt about the diagnosis.

However, based on the cause of the appearance, parallel signs characteristic of a specific pathology are observed. There are three degrees of damage.

1. Peripheral degree - present as a border, on the edges of the apple.
2. Central the lesion is the very center of the organ of vision.
3. Total degree - the eye is completely closed.

At the same time, the cat's behavior changes. Due to decreased vision, the pet walks unsteadily and does not see obstacles in the form of furniture or other objects. Nervousness and increased excitability appear. Strabismus can often be observed. In the presence of inflammation, there is pain, discharge, and swelling of the mucous membrane.

Treating a cat's cloudy eye

In most cases, a cat's vision loss will last a lifetime.

It should immediately be noted that complete cure of this pathology occurs very rarely.

Typically, a cat's vision loss will last a lifetime. There may be some positive results if you contact your veterinarian and therapeutic measures carried out in a timely manner, which undoubtedly leads to improvement.

Eye drops

An aqueous solution of honey can help in treatment.

Complex treatment

1. However, the application complex treatment will give a more tangible result.
2. It is advisable to prescribe rinses with a metrogil solution.
3. The use of gamavit, tetracycline ointment is indicated.
4. It is acceptable to prescribe drugs based on Actovegin.
5. If the preceding factor is glaucoma, surgical removal of the eyeball cannot be avoided.
6. Novocaine blockade is carried out.

For treatment, rinsing with Metrogyl solution is prescribed.

If the clouding is caused by a herpes virus, long-term therapy with antiviral drugs is necessary.

It is very important not to leave the animal alone for a long time during treatment.

conclusions

Constant monitoring and control – deposit successful treatment. If you notice the slightest sign of deterioration - increasing areas of redness, pain or a sharp increase in discharge - immediately contact a veterinarian.

Observation by a veterinarian and monitoring the cat’s condition is the key to successful treatment.

Video about cloudy eyes in cats

Cats are distinguished by their ability to see in the dark. This is not surprising, because mustachioed pets are predators by nature. Unfortunately, eye pathologies are common in these pets. Certain eye diseases in cats lead to partial loss of vision or blindness. If you do not sound the alarm in time and contact a veterinarian, the animal may lose the ability to see. One of the main symptoms of this condition is cloudy eyes in a cat. Below we will analyze the reasons for this phenomenon, and also determine possible ways treatment.

Relevance of the problem

If a cat's eye is cloudy, then from the outside it appears as if he is blind. In fact, this is not always the case. To understand the real reason If this phenomenon occurs in a pet, you must contact a veterinary clinic.

The fact is that a cat’s cloudy eye can be due to various diseases: keratitis, cataracts, uveitis, glaucoma. It is possible to understand what exactly a particular pet has only in laboratory conditions using special equipment.

Causes of the disease

The main causes of blurred vision in a cat include:

1. Diseases of the eye cornea. It loses its shine, becomes whitish, and a bluish tint appears.
2. Diseases of the lens. Such pathologies are characterized by clouding of the pupil, the cornea remains transparent and is not affected. When the light is pointed at the organ of vision, the haze narrows. This confirms that the reason lies precisely in the pupil.

Below we will look at the origin of the loss of transparency of the animal's eye in more detail.

Causes of cloudy eyes in cats

Cloudiness of the cornea indicates cornea disease. There are three options for reasons that created problems with the cornea:

• Accumulation of excess pus, fluid, calcium or cholesterol.
• The appearance of an eyesore (connective tissue scars).
• Pathological germination of blood vessels.

Keratitis

With this disease, vision always becomes worse, sometimes completely lost. The disease appears due to toxic damage to the liver. Most often this occurs during intoxication and poisoning, with acute infectious pathologies of the organs of vision caused by pathogenic microorganisms, fungi, viruses or neurogenic diseases.

To stop your cat's vision loss you need to: urgent help veterinarian

Symptoms

The first sign of keratitis is cloudy. Initially, redness and purulent discharge appear. serous fluid. Then the cornea loses transparency, the eye becomes cloudy, and ulcers or tissue necrosis appear.

To select the appropriate treatment you need accurate diagnosis. It is carried out using a special fluorescent liquid composition. After this, they become visible in the light. This type of diagnosis is carried out only in a veterinary clinic.

Treatment of keratitis

Treatment at home is strictly contraindicated. Keratitis is a polyetiological disease; without establishing the exact cause, self-therapy can be harmful.

After diagnostics and diagnosis, the specialist prescribes treatment aimed at eliminating the consequences of the identified eye pathology and maintaining the cat’s immunity.

Antiseptic drugs for washing the organ of vision, as well as antiviral and antibacterial ointments and drops, are necessarily prescribed. In addition, you should pay attention to your pet’s diet. It must be complete and contain a sufficient amount of microelements and vitamins.

Glaucoma

This eye disease in animals develops against the background of increased intraocular pressure. During an acute attack of pathology, the cornea ceases to be transparent, and the symptom of a cloudy eye appears in a cat.

Optic nerve atrophy can cause complete loss the pet's vision for two to four days. Therefore, the cat needs emergency veterinary care.

Symptoms

Signs of an acute attack of glaucoma include:

• painful sensations when touching the eye;
• fear of light;
• corneal edema;
• increased intraocular pressure.

Therapy

My cat has a cloudy eye, what should I do? Acute attack Glaucoma requires an urgent reduction in pressure inside the organ of vision. For this you need to contact a veterinarian. He will carry out all the necessary manipulations, while monitoring the condition of the animal.

Further therapy consists of the use of drugs that reduce pressure in the eyes, drugs that help normalize the animal’s condition, and diuretics.

Corneal ulcers and erosions

These corneal diseases vary in depth and can occur due to chemical, thermal and mechanical injuries, as well as chlamydia, glaucoma, inflammatory eye pathologies and other diseases. The distinctive features of this disease are:

• redness of the cornea of ​​the organ of vision;
• fear of light;
• clouding of the eye.

The owner in this situation may notice that the cat’s one eye has become cloudy, while the other is fine.

Treatment

Therapy consists of excluding the main cause of the defect and symptomatic local treatment. The complex course includes corneoprotectors, antibacterial and immunostimulating drugs.

This disease appears due to the development of some generalized process in the cat’s eye. This could be glaucoma, cataracts, keratitis. More often, the pathology affects only one eye.

Why does the cat have a cloudy eye?

Metabolic processes in the cornea of ​​the organ are disrupted, and this, in turn, leads to the deposition of calcium, cholesterol or amyloid cells in it. Due to these processes, the eye becomes cloudy and loses its normal structure. For therapy, special medications and surgical methods.

Scar (thorn) of the cornea

This defect causes clouding of the cornea after burns, trauma or ulcers. There are several types of disease:

• A peripheral cataract, it does not have a significant harmful effect on vision, since it is located away from the pupil.
• A total cataract covers the cornea and pupil. With this pathology, vision is significantly reduced.
• Central thorn. Located on the pupil itself. It can cover it completely or partially. Vision becomes limited.

The disease is characterized by a cloudy spot on the cat's eye. For treatment, special ointments and drops are used, which can only be prescribed by a veterinarian.

Causes of clouding and damage to the lens

The pupil of the eye itself does not lose transparency, since it is a hole in the iris. The transparent biolens of the organ of vision, called the lens, becomes cloudy. It is located behind the pupil.

The main cause of clouding is considered to be cataracts. This pathology manifests itself for several reasons:

• changes in metabolism associated with the age of the animal (old individuals);
• endocrine diseases - lipid metabolism disorders, diabetes mellitus;
• pupil injuries;
• infectious pathologies in a pregnant individual can cause pathology of the eye lens in a kitten;
• Certain breeds of cats have a genetic predisposition to this disease: Persians, Burmese, Siamese.

Treatment of cataracts, carried out with the help of medications, can only temporarily slow down the development of the disease.

Therapy

Radical treatment for lens opacity involves replacing it with surgery. If you don't do it on time radical treatment, then the process will develop further with severe complications:

• uveitis - inflammation of the uvea of ​​the eye, often leading to blindness;
• secondary glaucoma with optic nerve atrophy and vision loss;
• panophthalmitis - the release of masses of the lens into the chambers of the eye, the appearance of inflammation, pus: all this leads to the death of the eye.

It becomes clear that if a cat's eye is covered with a cloudy film, this can lead to partial loss of vision or complete blindness. Restoring the function of the organ of vision depends on how quickly the animal owner contacted the veterinarian. In addition, a correct diagnosis and quality treatment are important. Positive results most often appear in cases where the pathology is detected at an early stage of development.

Prevention

In order to prevent clouding of your cat’s eyes, you should follow a few simple rules for keeping your pet:

• Vaccinate the animal against infectious pathologies in a timely manner;
• undergo timely examinations by a specialist;
• Consult a doctor immediately after identifying unpleasant eye pathologies.

It should be borne in mind that if the cat already has inflammation of the organs of vision, the animal must be closely monitored. Your pet should be examined at least twice a day. If severe inflammation, redness, or clouding of the cornea appears, you should immediately go to the veterinarian. To prevent the condition from worsening, all stress factors for the animal should be kept to a minimum. Since they are the ones who can provoke a deterioration in the animal’s condition. The owner must also take into account the fact that from the room where the sick cat is located, it is necessary to remove interior items that the cat could hit and suffer.

It should also be understood that any eye pathology can lead to loss of vision in a cat, so you should not leave even the most harmless inflammation of the mucous membrane uncontrolled.

In addition, the owner must provide the sick animal with complete rest and, if possible, include foods with a high concentration of tocopherol and retinol in the cat’s diet. These vitamins have a positive effect on damaged epithelial layers of the cornea and restore the organs of vision.

Conclusion

If you see cloudy eyes in your pet, you should not exercise self-treatment. Also, you should not expect the pathology to resolve on its own. In such a situation, you need to urgently consult a doctor. The sooner the owner does this, the greater the chance that the cat will retain its vision.