Your cat should have clear, bright eyes when healthy. However, cats can be affected by various eye diseases. Conjunctivitis, retinal atrophy, and glaucoma are some of the most common conditions. Keep reading to learn about some of these eye conditions.

Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis is one of the first common eye diseases in cats. This condition is characterized by inflammation of the membrane that covers the eyelid. Bacterial, fungal, or viral infections can all cause this eye problem. Your cat may also develop this condition if he has allergies. Chronic bouts with conjunctivitis are often caused by recurrent herpes viral infections.

Cataracts

Cataracts are prevalent in diabetic and older cats. When the lens in the eye becomes cloudy, your cat is said to have cataracts. The lens will need to be removed surgically. In some cases, the cat may receive lens implants. Glaucoma may develop if this condition is left untreated.

Retinal Atrophy

Cats can also experience progressive retinal atrophy. This is a condition in which your cat’s retina degenerates or shrinks. Retinal atrophy can be inherited or caused by a lack of taurine in your cat’s diet. The condition progresses very slowly, but will eventually cause your cat to become blind. There is no cure for this condition unfortunately.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is one of the final common eye diseases. This is a condition in which there is too much pressure on the inside of the eye. Many cases of blindness in cats are caused by glaucoma. Glaucoma can be treated in the early stages using medication to reduce eye pressure. If your cat is in an advanced stage, surgery may be required.

All owners should know a little something about various cat illnesses such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in cats. Fortunately for you, cat-illnesses.com is a great resource for all owners. Make sure you come by to read all about these health conditions.

Find free points of view about house training dogs – welcome to your individual knowledge base.

 Mail this post

Technorati Tags: