Cataracts in cats

In humans, cataracts are the world's leading cause of blindness.

The lens of the eye works much like the lens of a camera, helping to focus on objects so the cat can see them clearly. When cataracts affect a big part of the lens, they cause vision loss and may lead to blindness. Every cat experiences cataracts differently. A cataract may develop rapidly or over a period of time. There are four stages of cataracts:. One of the more common signs is a change in the appearance of the eye.

Cataracts in cats

Cataracts Could Be the Problem. Could you find your way from the kitchen to bathroom wearing a pair of glasses smeared with grease? Unfortunately, the world can look this hazy to cats that have cataracts. Although cataracts are often associated with aging, this eye problem can also affect younger cats. Cataracts occur when the clear lens inside your cat's eye becomes cloudy. The lens focuses light rays on the retina, the part of the eye that converts the rays into electrical impulses. Impulses then travel to the brain for conversion to images. If the lens is cloudy, light doesn't reach the retina uniformly, causing hazy or blurry vision. Small cataracts may not affect your pet's vision very much, while large cataracts can have a significant impact on your pet's eyesight. Your veterinarian may use one of these classifications for your cat's cataracts:. Some cats are born with cataracts or have a genetic predisposition to develop them. Genetic cataracts are more likely to affect certain breeds, such as Himalayan, Persian, British Shorthair, and Birman cats, according to Cats.

The lens in a feline eye—like the lens in a human or canine eye—is a small, translucent structure that adjusts its shape as needed to focus incoming light rays on cataracts in cats retina, cataracts in cats, a light-sensitive tissue that lines the interior surface of the eyeball. Identifying and addressing the underlying cause of cataracts is the primary approach to treatment. The lens is made of mostly proteins and water.

Cataracts are changes to the clear lens inside the eye, causing it to take on a cloudy appearance. The lens is a translucent disc-like structure inside the eye. The lens helps to focus incoming light in the back of the eye on the retina. This picture is then sent to the brain to allow a cat to see the world around them. When a cataract develops, the lens is not able to focus the light down, leading to vision changes. Sometimes these changes are subtle, as is the case with small cataracts. Large, advanced cataracts may lead to blindness.

Marta Vidal-Abarca. Click to Skip Ahead. If so, this may be a cataract. But what exactly are cataracts? Why do they show up? A cataract is just a term that describes an increased opacity in the lens. The good news is that cataracts in felines are much less common than in canines or even humans.

Cataracts in cats

In humans, cataracts are the world's leading cause of blindness. Cataracts in cats are rare, but the disease is still serious; if left untreated, it may lead to blindness. Thankfully, many cases of feline cataracts can be successfully treated. Cataracts affect the lens of the eye. The lens helps to focus vision as light that passes through the eye, allowing your cat to see. If this small structure becomes cloudy due to a cataract, it can no longer focus light resulting in blurry vision. The lens is made of mostly proteins and water. Clouding of the lens occurs due to changes in the proteins and lens fibers. Cataracts in cats are less common than they are in humans and dogs.

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Finland - Suomi. Patty Khuly is an award-winning veterinarian known for her independent thinking, her spirited pet advocacy, her passion for the veterinary profession, and her famously irreverent pet health writing. If it is not possible to implant an IOL, your cat still will be able to see after surgery but will be farsighted. What Are Cataracts in Cats? Trauma itself, like a penetrating injury to the eye, can also result in premature cataract formation. Although cataracts are often associated with aging, this eye problem can also affect younger cats. If the lens is cloudy, light doesn't reach the retina uniformly, causing hazy or blurry vision. Norway - Norge. This surgery is done by a veterinary ophthalmologist with special equipment that works with precision to break down and remove the old lens and replace it with a new, artificial lens. Small cataracts may not affect your pet's vision very much, while large cataracts can have a significant impact on your pet's eyesight. Your veterinarian will use an instrument called an ophthalmoscope to look at the lens inside the eye.

Cat cataracts make it difficult for your kitty to see the world.

As used herein, denotes registered trademark status in the U. Clouding of the lens occurs due to changes in the proteins and lens fibers. Cats that have uveitis may blink or squint often. Are you worried that your cat may have cataracts? It typically occurs with age and often goes unnoticed. Although cataracts often don't have any obvious signs, your pet's pupils might look cloudy or appear white or blue-gray instead of black in some cases. This may be achieved by treating any contributing underlying diseases. Croatia - Hrvatska. K is a nerdy reader, avid knitter, hot yoga fanatic, music geek, struggling runner, and indefatigable foodie. Latvia - Latvija. A properly balanced pet food for your cat's life stage can often provide the essential nutrients to support your cat's eye health. The cataract only affects a small portion of the lens and doesn't interfere with vision. If the cataract doesn't affect your pet's eyesight, your veterinarian may suggest watching and waiting.