Blindness in Cats - Five Common Causes of Feline Blindness

By D Swain

Cats naturally have superior vision. However, there are various conditions that can cause blindness in cats. Some of these conditions include hypertension, glaucoma, and cancer. Let's take a look at some of these causes of feline blindness.

Hypertension

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is one of the leading causes of blindness in cats. If left untreated, the pressure can cause the retina to rupture. This can occur in just a matter of days. Cats that have kidney disease, diabetes, or hyperthyroidism have the highest risk of developing hypertension.

An early sign that your cat is suffering from high blood pressure is the presence of dilated pupils. The pupils won't respond to a change in light, and there also may be blood in your cat's eye. Hypertension is dealt with by treating the underlying cause. Your cat may also need to start eating foods low in sodium.

Glaucoma

One of the next common causes of feline blindness is glaucoma. Glaucoma is a condition in which there is too much pressure within the eye. It is also a common problem for humans. If your cat is diagnosed in the early stages, the pressure may be reduced via medications. If it has already progressed, your cat may need surgery to correct the problem.

Cancer

Another cause of blindness in cats is cancer. Tumors can grow in or around the eye. In most cases, the eye will need to be surgically removed. However, it is usually replaced with a prosthetic eye to give a more natural look.

Atrophy

Progressive retinal atrophy is an untreatable condition that leads to feline blindness. Most cats suffer from this condition because they inherited it. The disease progresses slowly over time, but will lead to total blindness.

Kidney Disease

One of the final common causes is kidney disease. It is common for older cats to suffer problems like chronic renal failure as they age. Unfortunately, chronic renal failure leads to hypertension. As stated earlier, hypertension can easily cause sudden blindness in cats if the retina ruptures.

As a cat owner, you want to keep your special friend as healthy as possible. To learn more about various cat illnesses such as feline constipation, stop by cat-illnesses.com. Your cat will thank you for it.