This may in turn cause the retina (the layer of light-sensitive cells that line the back of the eye and enable us to see) to become detached. With high blood pressure, damage can occur to small blood vessels in the back of the eye that can lead to bleeding, or fluid leaking out of the vessels. Hypertension is an important disease in cats and one of the most common causes of acute onset blindness. This is a condition where the optic nerves (the nerves that carry the visual information to the brain) become inflamed and as a result no longer function, causing blindness. Some of the causes of sudden onset blindness include: Optic neuritis However, if the blindness develops very rapidly then there is no chance for the cat to adapt and he or she will be very disorientated and confused. There are many potential causes of blindness in the cat – some will cause a gradual slow deterioration in vision, and in these cases, cats often learn to adapt to their reduced sight remarkably well showing few, if any, signs that they have any difficulty. One of the signs that may be noticed though is that the pupils (the dark central part of the eye) usually become very dilated if a cat becomes blind. They may wander apparently aimlessly, may bump into things, and may become distressed. One of the difficulties is that it may not necessarily be obvious to an owner that the cat has become blind and it may only be when your cat is examined by a vet that you will know why they have started to behave strangely. Sudden onset blindness in cats can be a very worrying and confusing disease.įor the affected cat they can become extremely disorientated and may behave in a strange and unusual way. Seek veterinary advice as soon as possible when any ocular changes are noted, to avoid further pain and reduce the risk of blindness occurring. Squinting – due to discomfort, but severe inflammation can also cause scarring and fusion of the eyelids to the eye, especially in kittensĮye infections are often treated with eye drops or ointment and usually respond well to treatment.Ocular discharge (discharge from the eyes) ranging in colour from clear to green-yellow, which may dry to form a crust.Other viral infections, such as feline immunodeficiency virus, feline leukaemia virus, and feline infectious peritonitis, can lead to uveitis (inflammation of the uvea, the middle area of the eye including the iris), which can also result in blindness.
Feline chlamydophilosisis a bacterial cause of conjunctivitis.
Damage to the cornea as a result of keratitis can lead to blindness. Likewise, feline herpesvirus is also a highly contagious virus that can lead to conjunctivitis, as well as (less commonly), keratitis, which is the inflammation of the cornea (the transparent front part of the eye). Feline calicivirus is a highly contagious virus that is a cause of ‘cat flu’, and can lead to conjunctivitis in cats. Viral or bacterial diseases can also lead to eye infections. Newborn kittens may develop eye infections due to vaginal infections of the mother at the time of birth, as well as being born into an unsanitary environment. Left untreated, conjunctivitis can lead to eye damage, vision loss and blindness.Įye infections can be caused by injuries to the eye, or foreign objects in the eye (eg, dirt, sand).
This is where the infection leads to inflammation of the conjunctiva – the pink membrane that lines the inner surface of the eyelids and the outer surface of the eyeball (see picture). It is therefore extremely important that cats with eye infections are given veterinary attention.Ĭonjunctivitis is the most commonly diagnosed eye infection in cats. As well as the risk of blindness, eye infections cause extreme discomfort and pain. Eye infections are a treatable condition in cats however, severe eye infections and eye infections which are left untreated can cause permanent blindness in cats.
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