The eyes are a vital part of any animal's health. While many pets do well with blindness, many conditions that can lead to blindness can be prevented by early intervention from the pet parent. Knowing what a healthy eye versus and unhealthy eye looks like can help you determine if your cat needs veterinary help before the condition gets worse.
Healthy eyes of cats are moist and clear. Both eyes should be fully open, and there should not be any redness around the eyeball. Cats should not have any discharge or tearing from their eyes. If your cat is exposed to bright light, they should not squint or avoid the light. Cats should not rub or paw at their eyes. There should not be any squinting or shutting of the eyes, and the eyelids should not be swollen. If there is redness or swelling, or if your cat squints or you see a discharge of mucus, these may be indications of an eye infection. Monitor your cat's eyes closely and do not hesitate to contact your veterinarian if you suspect something is wrong. Your cat's eyes are too valuable to take any chances.
How to Care for Your Cat's Eyes
In order to properly care for your cat's eyes, be sure to:
Keep eyes clear of mucus at all times. Infections are often caused by bacteria that overgrow on mucus. Use a sterile eyewash such as saline solution and/or eye wipes to keep the eye area clean. This is especially important in young kittens who may have considerable eye discharge resulting from upper respiratory infections.
Apply a protective ophthalmic ointment under the top lid to protect the eyes before bathing, facial cleanings, and insecticide treatment. Even "tearless" shampoos can irritate if too much gets in the eyes or if it is not rinsed out soon enough. Ask your veterinarian for a sterile eye lubricant that is safe to use.
Keep all hair out of your cat's eyes since scratches to the cornea (the clear membrane across the surface of the eye) can result from contact with hair. In long-haired cats, when it is necessary, trim the hair using only blunt-nosed scissors, cutting parallel to the edge of the eyelid. This is especially important where the skin folds near the eyes in breeds like Persians. Many cats are too squirmy to perform this at home. In this case ask your veterinarian to help you.
Manage tear staining. This is a common problem with particular breeds of cats, especially Persians, and can get unsightly if not taken care of. Tears are bactericidal, which means they kill the bacteria that can cause infections of the eye. Normally, tears flow across the surface of the eye and quickly drain through the tear duct. This discoloration at the corners of the eyes is caused by normal tears that spill out and lay on the surrounding hair. For breeds that tend to have tear stains, you could clean hair in affected areas at least weekly with a tear stain remover product.
What to Do If Your Cat's Eyes Appear Abnormal
If your notice any of the following signs, your cat needs to be seen right away by your veterinarian: inability to open one or both eyes, blood around or within the eye, excessive squinting, rubbing/pawing at the eye(s), cloudy appearance to either eye or if your pet is acting blind.
If you notice any of these more mild signs, your cat should still be examined but it's not an emergency: mild yellow/green discharge from the eyes, occasional squinting, mild redness, mild tearing.
Ultimately, a trip to the veterinarian is never a bad idea if you feel like something is not right with your pet. Eye disease can be very serious if left untreated, so make sure you pay attention to your cat's eyes to insure they have a happy, healthy life.
Article by: Marty Smith, DVM and Oneal Bogan, DVM.