Signs Your Cat May Have Eye Problems

Cat Eye Problems

Cat owners should always be on the lookout for eye problems. Unlike dogs, who use a combination of sight, hearing, and smell to become familiar with their surroundings, cats depend mostly on their eyesight for hunting and stalking their prey.

Watery eyes, frequent blinking, squinting, and pawing at their eyes, may all be signs that their eye is painful. Cats also have an extra eyelid, which is called the nictitating membrane. If this extra eyelid is visible, then something is most likely wrong. You should then:

1. Examine the eye to see if you can recognize the cause. The best way to examine the eye is by using a single light source, such as a flashlight, preferably in a dark room. You can prevent the cat from panicking by using a pillowcase that is pinned around his neck in order to restrain him. Remember, If your pet is frightened, his eyes will dilate, preventing you from making an accurate observation.
2. Try comparing one eye to the other. Look to see if they are of the same shape, color, and size. See if they bulge forward or are recessed backward. A discharge might be present, or the eye may be cloudy, hazy, or smoky. To test for vision, cover one eye and touch the other several times with your finger. If the cat has vision, he will blink when your finger approaches.

If your cat has a painful eye, you should seek immediate veterinary attention.

Signs and symptoms to look out for include:

• Discharge: A clear discharge without redness and pain indicates a problem in the tear drainage system. Any discharge should alert you to the possibility of cornea or inner eye involvement. A thick, sticky mucus discharge, along with redness and inflammation, indicates pink eye or conjunctivitis.
• Pain: Signs of pain include squinting, tearing, tenderness to touch, and avoidance of light. The nictitating membrane may protrude in response to pain. The common causes of painful eyes are injuries to the cornea and disorders affecting the inner eye.
• Film Over the Eye: A whitish or opaque film that moves out over the surface of the eyeball is a protruded nictitating membrane.
• Cloudiness: Loss of clarity or transparency in the eye indicates an inner eye disorder. Disorders that can cause a cloudy eye are keratitis, glaucoma, and cataracts.
• Hard or soft eye: Changes in eye pressure are caused by disorders of the inner eye. The pupil might become fixed and fail to respond to light. A hard eye with a dilated pupil indicates glaucoma. A soft eye with a small pupil indicates inflammation of the inner structure of the eye.
• Lid Irritation: These are conditions that cause swelling, crusting, itching, or hair loss of the eyelids.
• Bulging or Sunken Eye: These are abnormal contours and positions of the eye.
• Abnormal Movements: These are eyes that focus in different directions or jerk back and forth.
• Cross-Eyed Gaze: This is common among Siamese cats and is accepted as normal; however, other forms are caused by muscle paralysis.

Cat Third Eyelid Problems

Every cat owner has found the one issue which causes the most amount of stress and anxiety for their cat. Some kitties are born with special needs that are hard to fix, while others take extra work and often money to take care of.

My two-year-old male cat Alvin has a problem with his third eyelid. This eyelid which is called the nictitating membrane folds over sideways causing him to have a strange look on his face. You can imagine his problems with his vision and sleeping. He is a very skittish and nervous little guy, so it has been challenging to find a way to treat this ailment.

When a cat's nictitating membrane is visible over the corner of the eye it is usually said to be protruding. If one eye is involved the probable cause is a painful eye condition due to a corneal injury or a foreign body in the eye. If both eyes are involved the condition is most likely caused by a feline viral infection. Since Alvin had this condition from birth, I am assuming that he had an upper respiratory infection that affected his one eye. 1 or 2-day old kittens born outside usually develop some kind of upper respiratory condition, most of the time mild, however, Alvin might have had complications. This third eyelid problem doesn’t seem to affect his playfulness or eating habits. He is also a healthy little guy.

The cat's third eyelid that is obfuscated should cause the owner to be aware of any chronic illness or disease which causes your cat to lose weight or become dehydrated. In those instances, you should visit your veterinarian.

Applying Eye Medicine

Ointments

Steady your cat's head with one hand and draw down on the lower lid to expose the inner surface of the eyelid. Apply ointment to the inside of the lower lid. Application directed to the eyeball is irritating and may cause the cat to jerk his head, and eye injury can occur.

Eye Drops

Eye drops can be applied directly to the eyeball. Steady the heel of the hand in which you are holding the dropper against the side of your cat's head. Tilt the nose upward and drop the medicine into the inner corner of his eye. Rub the eyelids gently in order to disperse the medicine. Frequent application of eyedrops usually is necessary because they tend to wash out with tears.

Use only preparations that are specifically labeled for ophthalmic use.

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The source and diagnosis of any eye problems can usually be determined by one of the above symptoms. Pay very close attention to your cat to see if he/she exhibits one of them, and see your vet if necessary.

Reference

• The Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook by Delbert G. Carlson, D.V.M and James M. Giffin, M.D. - First Edition

Cat Eye Problems

• Eye Infections in Cats
  Uveitis is an inflammation of the inner pigmented structures of the eye. It is one of the most common inner eye conditions of cats, in part because a number of feline infectious diseases can involve the eye.

This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. It is not meant to substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal and individualized advice from a veterinary medical professional. Animals exhibiting signs and symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately.

Comments

H Glick (author) from Riverhead,NY on April 18, 2021:

Lanna, This is not a fake site, and I have mentioned before, in the comments that I am not a veterinarian. I have access to several good vets and have experience with having over 20 cats treated with different type of eye problems, so I try to give the best educated answer on the topic. If I can not answer the topic I will either suggest seeing a vet or not answer. I am sorry If I gave any other impression about my knowledge on this topic.

Lanna Diamond on July 26, 2020:

Is this just a fake site do you guys actually respond to people who are having troubles with their cats light come on vets you guys charge so much money if you actually care about animals can you at least respond my God

Samantha Carpenter Piccio on May 02, 2020:

My cat's eye - in one day - got a whitish film covering it completely like he's blind. Vets are closed in my area and the emergency pet hospital prescribed an antibiotic, which hasn't helped. He is 12, but this doesn't seem like a slow degenerative process from age. He experienced the same condition a few months prior and it cleared on its own. This time it's remained. There is discharge and slight swelling but no injury, and the vet did a pressure test for glaucoma (negative) and noted there is still vision. What can I do/try to help?

bruny on February 12, 2020:

my cat have notice within the last 2 month has brown stufff coming out of his both eyes! and also around bottom eyelid?

Brenda on February 06, 2019:

My one year old cat has has a red swiller eye about four times in the past four months. Sometimes left eye sometimes the right eye. Sometimes lasts a day or several hours. He’s seems to struggle to open it and is red, and dark pupil from what I can tell. Never lasts more than a day but is reoccurring

kassia on December 19, 2018:

is it normal to have your cats eye going the other way than the other?

pat powell on October 17, 2018:

My cats eyes were a beautiful yellow but there seems to be a bronzy colour coming up from the lower lid and is now at halfway mark. Doesn't seem to suffer any irritation but concerned. Is this normal

Leila G. B. on August 09, 2018:

My cats inner eyelid is constantly showing lately and i noticed that the edges are starting to get some yellow thing. I don't know if its mucous or something else. What can i do? He also seems to get very sleepy lately. I panicked cuz the other day he got some small piece of styrofoam in his eye, he was playing around with some pieces i had at home, but i never expected that to happen. Anyways, im worried because both his eyes are like that, help please xc