Can a cat be born with cataracts?
Cataracts are common in older pets, just like in people, but they actually can occur at any age. Some cats even have them from the time they are born. Fortunately, in cats, these cataracts rarely result in any significant vision loss.
Do cats go blind as they age?
Your cat may start to lose their sight for a variety of reasons, including old age. Inherited causes of cat blindness are less common than they are in dogs, but they tend to occur more in purebred cats. Medical causes for adult or senior cats losing their sight are more common than genetic ones.
How are cataracts treated in cats?
How are cataracts treated? The ideal treatment for cataracts is surgery. This surgery, which is performed by a veterinary ophthalmologist, involves breaking down and removing the cataract (a process known as phacoemulsification), then replacing the lens of the eye with an artificial lens.
Can a cat get cataracts at any age?
Depending on the severity of the cataract, this can have significant impacts on the cat’s vision. Cataracts can occur in cats of any age, sex, or breed. A genetic predisposition to inherited cataracts has been observed in Himalayans, Birmans, and British Shorthairs.
What should I do if my cat has a cataract?
In some cases, your cat may only have a small cataract that is barely noticeable. In severe cases, the whole lens will take on an opaque appearance and blindness will occur. Cataracts are a progressive disease and need immediate veterinary care.
Why are cataracts more common in dogs than humans?
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. Furthermore, while humans and dogs can develop cataracts due to diabetes, cats with diabetes typically don’t get cataracts.
What happens to a cat’s vision when it has cataract?
When a cat develops a cataract, the normally clear lens develops a cloudy or opaque appearance that interferes with the ability of light to reach the retina. Depending on the severity of the cataract, this can have significant impacts on the cat’s vision. Cataracts can occur in cats of any age, sex, or breed.
When to take your cat to the vet for cataracts?
However, cats develop cataracts less commonly than dogs do—and age is not generally the key factor. Therefore, it is very important to contact your veterinarian immediately if you notice a change in the appearance of your cat’s eyes, or you think her vision has been impacted in any way.
What are the symptoms of cataracts in cats?
Uveitis, or inflammation of the eye, is among the most common problem with vision for cats. It can cause not only cataracts but also eye pain or even blindness. Symptoms of uveitis are the same as that of pink eye in humans: redness, discharge, squinting, excessive tears, and a cloudy or dull eye.
Why does my Persian cat have cataracts?
Cloudiness of the Eye Lens in Cats. When the eye lens (located directly behind the iris) is clouded, it prevents light from passing to the retina, which can cause vision loss. Most cases of cataracts are inherited; for instance, Persian, Birmans, and Himalayans cats are all predisposed to cataracts.
What causes cataracts in a 7 year old cat?
Another common cause is poor nutrition as a kitten. Cataracts should not be confused with nuclear sclerosis, a normal change of the lens in pets over 7 years of age, which causes the lens to appear white but does not visually impair vision. What should you expect if your pet develops cataracts?