Eye diseases in cats. Panophthalmitis. Features of the disease. Treatment. Prevention of panophthalmitis in cats.

Cats, like any animal, are susceptible to eye disease.
Eye diseases in cats can be either acquired or congenital. For the fastest recovery for your pet, it is necessary to diagnose the disease as early as possible and begin treatment. Therefore, if the following symptoms appear, it is advisable to immediately contact a veterinarian:

— Redness, itching and lacrimation — Discharge of pus — Increased body temperature — Vomiting, diarrhea, etc.

Let's look at the most common eye diseases in cats:

Epiphora Glaucoma Blepharitis Conjunctivitis Keratitis Dacryocystitis Cataract Ptosis

Description

This occurs when an infection enters the eyeball. It usually penetrates through wounds, burns, and during cat fights. Defense mechanisms are launched in the pet’s body and E-lymphocytes begin to be produced. However, the eye tissues are very soft, vulnerable, and inflammation spreads quickly and a purulent process develops. It gradually affects all tissues - eyelids, nerves, muscles, etc.

The disease is accompanied by severe tearing and protrusion of the eye. Treatment necessarily includes antibiotics to clear the infection. Sometimes surgery is required.

Panophthalmitis is divided into two types. Exogenous develops as a result of injury and subsequent infection of tissues. Inflammation can spread from neighboring organs after ulcerative keratitis. Endogenous appears as a result of any infectious diseases (erysipelas, pyaemia, purulent processes in the ears and nose).

Panophthalmitis in a person in the photo

The examples of the disease in the photos below are a clear confirmation of the fragility of the human body.

Symptoms

The disease develops rapidly - within a few days. The incubation period for panophthalmitis is 2-3 days after infection enters the eye. Symptoms of the disease:

purulent discharge sticking together the eyelids;
temperature increase;
blepharospasm;
increased lacrimation;
loss of appetite or complete refusal to eat;
wrinkling and atrophy of the eyes;
exophthalmos (protrusion of the eyeball);
soreness in the eyes;
clouding of the lens and cornea;
redness and swelling of the eyelids;
conjunctivitis;
intolerance to light.

The cat does not strive to play, becomes lethargic, and constantly rubs its eyes. Vision deteriorates and the pet may go blind. Due to the sharp pain, the cat suffers, becomes restless, and cannot find a place for itself. The purulent process does not develop immediately, but after a few days. Exudate accumulates between the retina and the lens. The mobility of the eye is lost, the eyeball is displaced, and the pet develops a fever.

Symptoms of panophthalmitis

The disease manifests itself immediately after the onset of the inflammatory process.
The infection process can be determined by severe pain, lacrimation, fear of light, and a sharp decrease in vision. Upon visual examination, hyperemic swelling of the conjunctiva and eyelid can be detected. Swelling may occur due to pinching of the eyelid mucosa. You can also find the following symptoms of panophthalmitis:

the cornea becomes cloudy;
the iris melts;
the voids of the anterior chamber are filled with serous secretion.

The development of a purulent disease is accompanied by decreased vision, photophobia and blindness.

Without treatment, purulent discharge falls under the conjunctiva of the eye and begins to spread into Tenon’s capsule. As a result, swelling increases and the eyeball shifts, the sclera ruptures with purulent contents leaking out. After a few months, the eye shrinks and atrophies.

When infected with anaerobes, the purulent process manifests itself even more rapidly. Bubbling dark discharge flows from the anterior chamber. In addition to local symptoms, general malaise appears: headache, fever, nausea and vomiting. Without assistance, the purulent process can lead to inflammation of the soft tissues and brain abscess.

Treatment

Treatment should begin immediately after the first symptoms appear. Otherwise, sepsis or bacterial meningitis may develop, and this leads to the death of the pet. First, drug treatment is prescribed; in advanced cases, surgery is required when the eye is completely removed. You cannot provide first aid yourself; this may worsen the cat’s condition. Treatment is carried out only in a hospital setting, in a veterinary clinic.

Basic treatment

In the initial stage of the disease, a novocaine blockade is performed to reduce pain. The painkiller is injected behind the apple. To enhance the effect, sulfacyl or syntomycin ointment is added. To eliminate the infection, the cat is given orally (or injected) with broad-spectrum antibiotics:

"Amoxiclav";
"Biosol";
"Neomycin";
"Neopen";
"Ampicillin";
"Tetracycline";
"Gentamicin";
"Bicilin";
"Streptomycin".

The duration of antibacterial therapy depends on the stage of the disease and the pathogen. The minimum treatment time with antibiotics is a week. Most often, medications are administered by injection; it is difficult to force your pet to swallow pills. To avoid addiction, after 14 days the antibiotics are changed to another drug.

How is the treatment carried out?

Surgical intervention

Panophthalmitis is dangerous due to the development of bacterial meningitis or sepsis, which leads to the death of the animal, so therapy must be carried out quickly.

Since the disease is characterized by purulent melting of tissue, the affected visual organ should be removed. Methods used:

The damaged organ can be removed by exenteration.

Evisceration. All structures of the eyeball are eliminated - the retina, lens, vitreous body, and uveal tract.
Enucleation. It is characterized by excision of the eyeball and partial removal of the auxiliary apparatus.
Exenteration. A complete excision of the organ is carried out, as well as surrounding tissues - muscles, nerves, eyelids, blood vessels, lacrimal canal. After surgery, the skin around the empty eye socket is stitched and a suture is placed.

Drug treatment

All medications are prescribed by a veterinarian; self-medication by the pet owner can aggravate the condition. To save the cat's organs of vision, the cat is prescribed eye medications and antibiotics shown in the table:

Pharmgroup	Veterinary medicine
Sulfonamides	"Streptocide"
	"Sulfalen"
	"Biseptol"
	"Sulfadimezin"
	Ethazol sodium
Antibiotics	"Zoetis Synulox"
	"Amikacin"
	"Gentamicin"
	"Enroxil"
Ophthalmic drugs	Tetracycline ointment
	"Anandin"
	"Dekta-2"
	"Gentafarm"
	"Levomekol drops"

Prevention

To prevent panophthalmitis, it is recommended to vaccinate your cat annually against blood-sucking insects, treat it with special means, and treat diseases in a timely manner. It is better not to walk your pet and avoid contact with other animals or aggressive cats. Even with a minor injury to your pet, you should immediately take it to the veterinarian.

Panophthalmitis is rare in domestic cats. However, if the first signs of the disease appear, you should immediately contact a veterinarian. This will help not only preserve the eyes and vision, but also the life of the pet.

Prevention of panophthalmitis

To preserve vision, it is important to carefully protect your eyes from mechanical damage and injury.
Prevention of panophthalmitis:

promptly eliminate purulent foci;
treat infectious diseases;
wash your hands and face thoroughly;
use personal hygiene products;
do not touch your face with unwashed hands;
Do not try to remove a foreign body from the eye yourself.

Panophthalmitis is a dangerous disease that leads to blindness and even loss of the eye. To protect yourself from this unpleasant disease, you need to carefully monitor your health and follow preventive measures.

Eye wash

The washing procedure itself does not require special skills and knowledge, but you should consult a veterinarian about the product. Otherwise, the condition will only worsen, and this will lead to the progression of the disease. Often use regular saline solution, boric acid or herbal decoctions.

Washing the cat's eyes

Healthy! You can buy ready-made solutions in pharmacies.

Causes and mechanism of development

Panophthalmitis can be caused by exogenous or endogenous causes. In both cases, an infection penetrates into the eyeball. The causative agents are staphylococci, streptococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other pathological microorganisms. They can enter the eye tissue through a penetrating injury (for example, when the eye is damaged during a cat fight or a piece of glass enters the cornea), or a burn.

Panophthalmitis can also develop against the background of:

infectious uevitis (inflammation of the choroid of the eye),
bacterial keratitis (inflammation of the cornea of the eye),
purulent conjunctivitis,
chlamydial trachoma.

When a pathogen penetrates the tissue of the eyeball, protective mechanisms are activated in the cat’s body. The immune system begins to produce large quantities of E-lymphocytes, antibodies, the formation of which is accompanied by a powerful release of inflammatory mediators. However, due to the increased vulnerability of the delicate tissues of the organ of vision, all layers of the eyeball are very quickly damaged, up to complete destruction (“melting”). With further development of the disease, the purulent process also affects the surrounding soft tissues (eyelids, eye muscles).

Panophthalmitis in a cat

Causes

A dangerous disease in which the eye turns red and vision deteriorates, occurs due to the influence of various factors - this is endophthalmitis. Quite often, the infection is spread by microbes that enter the membrane of the visual organ along with a foreign object. Lead to inflammation:

Chemical burns.
Penetrating wounds.
Operations and interventions.
Complications of corneal ulcers.

The eyes of people who suffer from tonsillitis and osteomyelitis are affected. Pathology can begin with blood poisoning or inflammation of the paranasal sinuses. Its causative agents are candida fungi and neurospora, bacteria such as:

Klebsiella;
Pseudomonas aeruginosa;
Proteus;
streptococci.

A purulent process is formed if the connective tissue is affected, and boils form on the body. Joint diseases, immunodeficiency, and advanced caries can provoke inflammation.

A serious disease that affects the posterior part of the choroid of the visual organ is chorioretinitis of the eye.

Klebsiella is a type of bacteria that can cause a dangerous illness.

The causes of central serous chorioretinopathy are described here.

What is epiphora

This medical term refers to constant and unregulated tearing . At this time, the animal’s tears flow down, characteristic tracks become visible on its cheek, and its fur acquires a brown tint.

In severe cases, hair begins to fall out around the eye, and itching or skin lesions similar to dermatitis may appear. The danger of the disease is that during its development, the cat’s eyes are practically not protected.

The normal process of tear secretion looks like this. The tear secreted from the gland goes to the upper part of the conjunctiva. When the eyelids move, it flows into the lacrimal lake (the lowest point of the palpebral fissure). From there, the liquid reaches the lacrimal openings, which partially absorb it, and then to a special bag, bypassing small highways. As a result, the nasolacrimal duct carries it into the nasal cavity, where evaporation occurs.

Symptoms

Panophthalmitis develops very quickly, literally in a few days. The cat suddenly develops severe lacrimation; due to sharp pain in the eye, the animal becomes restless, cannot find a place for itself, often rubs the damaged eye with its paw, sleeps and eats poorly. There is photophobia, redness and swelling of the eyelid. The cornea of the cat's eye becomes cloudy, and he practically ceases to see. Then a purulent process develops: as a result of the disintegration of the iris and cornea, exudate accumulates between the lens and the retina. The eye partially loses its mobility, its eyelids involuntarily close, at the same time the eyeball noticeably moves forward. During this period, the cat may have a fever and elevated temperature.

Caring for cats with eye diseases

Since ophthalmic problems are often accompanied by severe itching, an Elizabethan collar, which you can purchase at a pet store or make yourself, will help prevent scratching.

To ensure a quick recovery, your cat needs to be provided with comfortable conditions:

a quiet and darkened room where the pet can sleep peacefully and recuperate;
light semi-liquid nutrition with the exclusion of all allergenic foods;
drinking plenty of water;
attention and care of the owner in moments when the cat itself wants to communicate;
isolation from other animals if the disease is contagious.

Eye Diseases in Cats - Causes and Treatment // Network of Veterinary Clinics BIO-VET

When you need urgent veterinary help

Immediate contact with a veterinarian is required in cases where the pupil or cornea of the eye has changed color, shape, size, or the eyeball has hardened. In addition, you should not delay your trip to the clinic if your cat has severe pain in the eye area.

This is not difficult to understand: the pet reacts to even a light touch with a loud meow, hides from the owner, and shows aggression to any attempt to pick itself up.

Such conditions indicate severe ophthalmological pathology and require urgent assistance from a specialist.

Diagnosis of panophthalmitis

To make an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to collect a complete medical history of the patient in a short time, since delay threatens the loss of the eye. The ophthalmologist learns about the presence of injuries or a foreign body in the eye. It also collects information about chronic and infectious diseases, past inflammatory processes, especially in the eye area.

Next, the doctor conducts a visual examination for the presence of pus, changes in the conjunctiva and iris. If necessary, an examination of the fundus is performed. To examine deep parts, ultrasound is prescribed.

The pathogen can be detected by biochemical and general blood tests, as well as biological material that is taken for culture for microflora. After receiving the tests, the specialist prescribes medication.

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Diagnosis and treatment

When making a diagnosis, the doctor mainly focuses on the detected signs of purulent inflammation of the eyeball and the presence of a history of acute infectious diseases or eye injuries. To identify the type of microbial flora that caused the pathology, a myringotomy (puncture) of the cornea is performed, and the resulting exudate sample is sent to the laboratory for bacteriological and microscopic analysis.

If the disease is detected at a very early stage, conservative treatment is possible. To relieve pain, the cat is given an infraorbital novocaine blockade. The anesthetic is injected behind the eyeball, penetrating there through the skin of the lower and upper eyelids. In some cases, syntomycin or sulfacyl ointment is added to the anesthetic to enhance the therapeutic effect.

In any case, a cat with panophthalmitis is given intensive antibiotic therapy. Broad-spectrum antibiotics are used:

ampicillin;
amoxiclav;
gentamicin;
streptomycin;
neomycin;
biosol;
bicilin;
neopen;
tetracycline.

The duration of treatment depends on the degree of damage to the eyeball and the type of pathogen; the minimum course of antibiotic therapy is a week. In most cases, antibiotics are administered to cats by injection, since it is not always possible to force a seriously ill animal to eat a pill.

However, most often panophthalmitis has to be treated surgically. There are two options for this operation; in both cases, the diseased eye completely loses its functions.

Evisceration

Resection of the eyeball is performed under general anesthesia. During the operation, an incision is made on the cornea and sclera, through which the contents of the eye are removed with a special instrument (curette). In this case, the fibrous membrane of the eyeball is left. Sutures are placed on the sclera and cornea. After completion of the operation, hemostasis (stopping bleeding) and treatment of the sutures with an antiseptic is performed. If necessary, drainage of the eye cavity can be performed. Postoperative sutures are removed after 1-2 days.

Enucleation

This option involves removing the entire diseased organ of vision under general anesthesia: the eyeball and intraocular structures. The operation scheme is as follows:

The eye muscles are fixed with a surgical hook and cut off.
By pulling the eyeball forward, the optic nerve located behind it is cut off.
The eyeball, devoid of connecting elements, is removed.
Stop bleeding using a tampon with hydrogen peroxide.
The eyelids are sutured with a purse string suture.

About prognosis after surgery

After the blood clot in the eye cavity has dissolved, after about a month, it will be noticeable that the size of the “closed” operated eye is smaller than that of a healthy one. But this cosmetic defect does not prevent the animal from living a full, active life.

Blepharitis in cats

Inflammation of the eyelids, which causes thickening and redness of the edges of the eyelids.

There are several types of blepharitis: simple, meibomian and ulcerative .

Let's look at each type in more detail. Simple blepharitis. With this disease, there is overflow of blood vessels (hyperemia) and thickening of the edges of the eyelids. Gray-white scales appear at the base of the eyelashes. If the edges of the eyelids swell and their surface becomes covered with pus and an ulcerative surface appears under it, this is no longer simple, but ulcerative blepharitis . The main symptom is watery eyes and itching of the eyelids. If inflammation affects the roots of the eyelashes, they fall out. Entropion or inversion of the eyelids may occur. Ulcerative blepharitis is treated by removing dead tissue, after softening the surface of the eyelids, this is best done with fish oil. Then the edges are cauterized with a special disinfectant and washed with water or saline solution. Then, within a week, an ointment containing antibiotics is applied to the affected areas of the eyelids. And another type of blepharitis is meibomian. Appears due to hypersecretion of the meibomian glands (named after the physician Heinrich Meibon). Signs include hyperemia and severe thickening of the edges of the eyelids. Pathogenic microorganisms that enter these glands cause purulent inflammation of the eyelids. To treat this inflammation, use “brilliant” and yellow mercury ointment.

Before you begin treatment, you need to take your beloved animal to a veterinarian who can choose the right treatment for your pet. It is not recommended to use medications without the consent of a specialist, as improper treatment can aggravate the situation.

Why does pathology develop?

Paphothalmitis in cats develops when exposed to pathogens such as:

Staphylococcus aureus or white;
streptococcus;
Escherichia coli or Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Once in the eye, bacteria are activated, which leads to complete purulent melting of all eye structures. This is facilitated by a decrease in immunity if the animal has blown and inflammation occurs in the nasopharynx and ear. The disease occurs due to the following unfavorable factors:

The disease can begin in a pet due to a showdown with a fellow dog.

entry of specks and sand into the visual organs;
injury when a cat stumbles upon a sharp object;
scratches during a conflict with other animals;
incorrectly selected or broken toys with sharp ends;
accidental injury with a claw while washing.

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Varieties

Exogenous, when the disease develops as a result of direct injury to the eyeball with infection of surrounding tissues. Often diagnosed with ulcerative keratitis or inflammation of neighboring organs.
Endogenous, when there are other infectious pathologies, such as erysipelas, pyemia, erysipelas, as well as with purulent processes in the nose and ear.

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Treatments

Both special veterinary drugs and medications developed for humans are used to treat cats. Therapy with traditional methods also shows good results.

Medications

Among the medications for the treatment and prevention of ophthalmic drugs in cats, the most effective ones have proven themselves:

"Bars" - washing for injuries, treatment and prevention of keratitis, conjunctivitis, blepharitis.
“Iris” - acute and chronic inflammation of the cornea and anterior segment of the eye.
"Tsiprovet" - therapy and prevention of infectious inflammation of all ocular structures.
Decta-2 - treatment of allergic and infectious conjunctivitis.
Lakrikan - hygienic treatment and treatment of inflammatory processes.
Neoconjunctivitis - treatment of advanced forms of conjunctivitis.
Sofradex is an antibacterial drug for the treatment of inflammation of the eyes and ears.

ethnoscience

Traditional medicine suggests treating eye pathologies in cats using the following herbs:

chamomile;
calendula;
green tea;
St. John's wort;
sage.

All of them have some anti-inflammatory effect and are used for therapeutic and prophylactic treatment of the eyelids and eyeball.

What are there

There are a lot of descriptions of eye diseases in cats. The disease can manifest itself as ordinary inflammation or suppuration, or a serious violation of the integrity of the lens.

It is very important to notice and recognize the disease as soon as possible in order to begin its treatment.

Due to the special structure of the cat’s eyeball, any damage and infection develops very quickly, affecting more and more healthy areas.

Photo: eye diseases are divided into inflammatory and non-inflammatory

Veterinarians distinguish two types of eye diseases: inflammatory and non-inflammatory. The first group includes the following ailments: conjunctivitis, keratitis, iritis, blepharitis and others.

The second includes various bruises and scratches, foreign particles entering the eye, eversion of the eyelid, prolapse or protrusion of the eyeball, glaucoma and cataracts.

Diseases are also divided into primary (main) and secondary. Veterinarians determine this by how the disease develops.

If the eye disease is the main one, then it is classified as primary. If the damage or infection is the result of another illness, then it is considered secondary.

Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis is considered the most common eye disease in cats. It can be caused by a number of reasons, including foreign bodies, injuries, lack of vitamins, and infections.

In kittens with weak immune systems, inflammation of the nose quickly spreads to the eyes, causing conjunctivitis.

Due to many reasons, the following types of this disease are distinguished:

ulcerative;
catarrhal;
follicular;
purulent.

It is very important to determine the source of infection in order to begin proper treatment. As a rule, special ointments are used to eliminate conjunctivitis.

Veterinarians warn that you should not apply the product with your finger (there may be bacteria and dirt on your hands, which will only worsen the situation).

Photo: conjunctivitis at the initial stage can be cured at home

Do not delay treatment under any circumstances! At first glance, a harmless disease quickly develops into a very serious one.

Keratitis

Keratitis is serious damage to the cornea of the eye. This disease can be caused by either injury or infection.

It is not so easy to notice that with a pet: the cat will try to close or squint the sore eye.

In addition, with keratitis, profuse lacrimation is observed. The eye instinctively tries to get rid of the aching lesion.

Photo: keratitis is caused by inflammation or injury

If treatment is delayed, the cornea will begin to noticeably become cloudy. The animal will develop photophobia.

Determining the cause of the disease is quite simple, even at home. Due to the injury, only one eye is affected. Infections affect both corneas.

Fungal diseases are a little more complicated: they first attack one eye and only after some time they move to the second.

It should be noted that wounds or foreign particles trapped under the eyelid provoke rapid clouding of the lens. Infections severely inflame the surface of the visual organ, causing severe suppuration.

Third eyelid

Cats have a special protective device that protects their eyes from foreign bodies getting into them. The third eyelid is a whitish, thin film of skin.

Its loss can be recognized by a number of signs:

severe lacrimation;
redness of the skin and eyes;
discharge in the form of mucus and pus;
swelling in the corners of the eyes;
involuntary muscle spasms (eyelids visibly tremble).

Photo: prolapse of the third eyelid cannot be treated on your own. Prolapse of the nictitating membrane is a very dangerous disease that can quickly develop into others.
It can be caused by a number of problems that have already been observed in the cat:

allergy;
injury;
conjunctivitis in an advanced stage;
diseases of internal organs (usually the gastrointestinal tract);
fungus;
internal and external parasites.

Under no circumstances try to self-medicate. Wrong actions can only harm the animal (even completely deprive it of its vision). At the first suspicion of prolapse of the nictitating membrane, you should contact your veterinarian.

Blepharitis

Blepharitis is an inflammation of the eyelid in cats. According to stages and complexity, this disease is divided into: simple, scaly, ulcerative, meibomian. The main signs of blepharitis are redness and swelling of the eyelid.

With proper treatment, this disease can be quite easily eliminated. The problem is that simple blepharitis very quickly develops into ulcerative, and then scaly.

Then the eyelashes begin to fall out, and if nothing is done, the disease will spread to the lacrimal sac, and then to the eye, which, if left untreated, can lead to loss of vision.

Photo: blepharitis affects a cat's eyelids

The pet itself can significantly worsen its situation. A cat, trying to scratch a sore spot, can injure the eye with its claws.

Panophthalmitis

Panophthalmitis is a very rare but very dangerous disease of domestic animals. It is characterized by simultaneous damage to all capillaries and tissues of the eye, which makes it extremely difficult to treat.

The symptoms of panophthalmitis in dogs and cats are similar: the eyeball initially noticeably increases in size, then redness and pus are detected. Very often complications appear in the form of other ailments.

Photo: panophthalmitis is a very dangerous viral disease

Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to save an eye with panophthalmitis. There is a high risk of infection spreading to the cerebral cortex, which usually leads to the death of the cat. To save the animal, the entire diseased organ is removed and the eyelids are sutured.

If you notice that your cat's eye is not in normal condition, you should not try to cure it on your own.

Careless actions (for example, wiping tears or pus with your hands, processing with human means) can only contribute to the fact that the infection will quickly destroy the organ.

Cataract

Cataracts are more common in older animals. In children, this disease occurs due to widespread infection. The lens becomes noticeably cloudy, and it becomes increasingly difficult for the cat to see.

It is quite easy to notice cataracts in a pet at an early stage. The cat's visual acuity noticeably decreases, which is why the animal often bumps into or crashes into objects, misses when playing, or fails to jump to something.

Photo: Cataracts are more common in older cats

Self-medication is extremely dangerous for your pet. At the first suspicion of cataracts, you should immediately contact your veterinarian. At the initial stage of the disease, medications will be prescribed.

If they do not work, then surgery is prescribed. Treatment should not be delayed, otherwise cataracts may be complicated by other diseases.

Inflammation or infection of the nasolacrimal ducts

Obstruction of the nasolacrimal ducts is quite common among cats, especially in babies. The disease is not so dangerous and is easily treated. Inflammation is caused by the fact that the channels connecting the lacrimal sac to the nose become clogged.

Photo: inflammation of the nasolacrimal duct threatens kittens

It is quite easy to understand that inflammation is occurring. The pet has severe lacrimation. However, not a single ointment designed to combat conjunctivitis or keratitis will help.

The most effective way to relieve swelling of the tubules and clean them is probing. This method is not very pleasant, but it brings immediate relief to the pet.

To stop the infection from spreading, veterinarians prescribe antibiotics. After a week, their use is stopped, and the animal is re-examined to confirm the further treatment strategy.

Wounds of the eyelids

Wounds are always dangerous, especially around such a fragile organ as the eyes. According to the severity, such injuries are divided into superficial (implying a small scratch), deep (several layers of skin are removed) and through (if the eyelid is completely torn).

The consequences of each type are different. That is why treatment must be approached based on the severity of the damage.

Photo: damage to the eyelid usually occurs in fights

It is recommended to wash the superficial wound as quickly and carefully as possible and treat it with any antiseptic (you can even use iodine if the scratch is located on the outer eyelid).

If, in the heat of a fight, the mustache manages to cause through or deep damage, then you need to immediately contact a veterinarian. Only in the clinic will all foreign particles be carefully removed, the wound washed and stitches applied.

Turn of the century

Sometimes the edges of the eyelid turn inward, toward the cornea. Such mechanical damage to the eye is not just uncomfortable, but very painful.

In addition, the unprotected cornea is damaged by hard cilia and hairs rubbing against it. If left untreated, entropion of the eyelid can lead to the development of infection (keratoconjunctivitis).

Photo: inversion and eversion of the eyelid can only be corrected surgically

Usually such diseases are congenital. You can only get rid of them through surgery. The operation is quite fast and effective (there will be no more eyelid inversions).

Glaucoma

There are three types of glaucoma in cats, depending on the cause: congenital, open-angle and closed-angle. The disease is characterized by severely elevated blood pressure.

With glaucoma, small and large vessels burst in the animal's eyes, causing the whites to turn red. The cat is in a lot of pain.

Bloody discharge from the eyes is visible both on the eye itself and on the conjunctiva. The pupil also noticeably enlarges. In addition, the eyeball is greatly inflated and hardens (due to high pressure).

Open-angle glaucoma is characterized by noticeable clouding of a large area of the eye. The cornea weakens and stops responding to light.

With angle-closure glaucoma, a cloudy ring-shaped area forms on the eye, as well as a whole network of swollen and bulging blood vessels.

Photo: glaucoma is characterized by very high pressure

Such a disease not only affects the quality of vision, but also brings great suffering to the animal. It is almost impossible to cure glaucoma without the help of a veterinary ophthalmologist.

The disease can be overcome with the help of drops and tablets, but if it is caused by a dislocated lens, then surgery will be required.

Belmo

A cat's eyesore develops over a long period of time as a result of persistent clouding of the cornea. This disease in cats can be different.

In some cases, a thorn forms at the edge of the eye, and in others it covers it entirely.

At first, the cat begins to see much worse (objects look blurry due to the cataract). If the disease is not stopped, then partial loss of vision or complete blindness is possible.

Photo: eyesore distorts vision

The causes of the appearance of a cataract can be trauma, age-related changes in the structure of the cornea, congenital pathology, viral or fungal infection.

You can overcome the disease if you have time to go to the clinic at an early stage of its development.

Symptoms: how to recognize the disease?

The incubation period lasts at least 2-3 days after injury. Panophthalmitis in a cat is manifested by the following signs:

With this pathology, pus released from the diseased organ glues the animal’s eyelids together.

the appearance of purulent discharge that sticks together the eyelids;
lacrimation;
intolerance to bright light;
swelling and redness of the eyelids;
conjunctivitis;
clouding of the cornea and lens;
soreness;
temperature increase;
refusal of food and play;
protrusion of the eyeball (exophthalmos);
blepharospasm;
decreased or complete loss of vision;
atrophy and wrinkling of the eye.

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Glaucoma in cats

A disease accompanied by increased intraocular pressure and an enlarged eyeball.

Symptoms of glaucoma in cats

Symptoms are visible to the naked eye. There is an enlargement of the pupil, reflection of the fundus, bulging of the cornea, which is no longer mirror-like. If this disease is not cured in time, the animal may permanently lose its vision as the retina dies.

Treatment of glaucoma in cats

It is carried out only with drugs that reduce intraocular pressure. To restore the cornea and prevent it from drying out, an ointment is prescribed. To prevent such a disease in your pet, you need to carefully remove discharge from the eyes with a swab, after moistening it in a special lotion for animals. Lotions are available both for external use and for treating the cornea itself, so you need to carefully read the instructions for use.