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Cat Eye Health Problems

Submitted by Michael Adams on May 11, 2010

Cat eye problems can be minimized if you provide your cat with a safe environment and proper nutrition. It is important to pay attention to cat eye health because they need their vision for everyday survival. Injury or disease can cause blurred vision and cat blindness.

If a cat cannot see, then it can become aggressive or listless.

Your pet cat should have clear and bright eyes and there should not be any cloudy coverage on the eyeball. If you notice that your cat’s eyes are tearing up or that there is a discharge, then there might be an infection.

Look for the right signs and then take your cat to the vet if you see something that doesn’t look quite right. A vet will do various tests on the cat’s eyes to find out if its cat conjunctivitis or cat runny eye or any other vision problem.

Common cat eye problems: Some of the common cat vision problems are –

Viral infection: Viral conjunctivitis is a common eye problem. Feline calicivirus and feline herpes virus cause this condition and it is contagious.
Bacterial infection: Eye infections in cats are caused by Chlamydia bacteria, and are contagious within cats.
Corneal injuries: Sometimes a cat’s cornea can get damaged because of trauma or injury.
Conjunctivitis: In this the membrane covering the white part of the eye is inflamed, and the inner lining of the eyelid will also be inflamed. Fungus infections, viral infections and bacterial infections can cause cat conjunctivitis. Even herpes viral infection can cause this problem. If you see that your cat has a tearing and weepy eye, then it means that she has an eye problem. Conjunctivitis is contagious and can get passed on to other pets. You will probably have to apply an ointment in your cat’s eye.
Ulcers: Cats also get ulcers in the cornea because of fights with other cats. This needs to be treated so that the cat does not lose its vision. Ulcers generally have symptoms that are similar to that of conjunctivitis.
Glaucoma and cataract: Cats that are old or have diabetes can get cataract. If a cat gets cataract, then you may have to take it to a vet for a surgery. If your cat has glaucoma, then you can out eye drops and can also do laser surgery to stop blindness. You must take your cat to a vet whenever you see any symptoms. Your vet will be able to recommend a treatment plan for your cat.

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