Cataracts in cats

Overview

The lens is the portion of the eye that is responsible for letting light through to the back of the eye and for focusing light on the retina for proper vision.  A normal lens in a cat's eye is clear so it can do its jobs.  A cataract is a clouding of the lens that ultimately prevents the lens from performing its normal duties.  This clouding can be very small initially and not interfere with vision, or the clouding can grow, involving more of the lens and causing blurred vision . Eventually, the entire lens can become completely opaque, and your cat can lose all functional vision.  In the majority of cases, cataracts are not a serious medical condition and the changes in a cat's sight are usually minor.  However, if your cat's eyes appear bloodshot or if he starts squinting, consult your veterinarian as soon as possible because these are symptoms of an extremely painful condition known as glaucoma.  These signs could also indicate that liquid from the cataract has started to leak, causing a painful inflammation of the eye.

Cataracts are not as common in cats as they are in dogs; in fact, they are very rare. Most cataracts in the cat develop secondary to inflammation within the eye, from trauma, or some other eye problem.  Rarely, cataracts in the cat may be inherited, may arise with abnormal development of the lens, or may occur in association with nutritional abnormalities in the young cat.

If you suspect that your cat may be suffering from cataracts, have him examined by your veterinarian.

Symptoms

How can you tell if your cat is developing cataracts?

• Bluish, gray, or white color change inside of the eye
• Tendency to bump into things
• Reluctance to use stairs or jump up onto objects
• Hesitancy in unfamiliar environments
• Squinting, redness, or inflammation

Treatment

Once a lens has developed a cataract, there is no known method to make the lens clear again. Surgery, to remove the cataract clouded lens from the eye, will not restore completely normal vision, but the majority of cats do regain some functional vision.

The future

If your cat is diagnosed with cataracts, he must learn to adapt his behavior by using his other senses to compensate for the loss of vision. Cats can adapt surprisingly well to loss of vision, but there are several things you can do to help ease the process:

• Keep your cat's environment as stable as possible
• Try not to rearrange furniture
• Keep his food dish, water bowl and bed in the same place
• Be sure to keep the litterbox in its usual spot

If you do have to move something around in your home, lead your cat around the room, showing him the new layout. Knowing where everything is will help your cat feel secure. Cats with cataracts should be kept indoors at all times.

Resources:

Animal Eye Care, LLC. Cataracts in Dogs. (7 March 2008).