Glaucoma in Cats

 To the list of things that cats and people share, developing glaucoma is another one to add.  This eye condition is painful, can strike pretty suddenly and, if not caught and treated, can cause blindness.  BCR's Wifi was recently diagnosed with glaucoma and is being treated for it.

What exactly is glaucoma?  The eyes are filled with something called aqueous humor, a liquid that makes them round and keeps the insides of the eyes healthy.  An even balance of this fluid is what keeps them that way.  It works through ongoing fluid production and drainage that keeps the pressure on the liquid even.  When the drainage doesn't happen in a normal way, intraocular pressure, the pressure within the eyes, increases and can trigger glaucoma. 

In general, glaucoma in cats is rare, but some breeds may be more prone to it as are cats with conditions that impact their immune systems, like leukemia and FIV.  There are two types of glaucoma that can damage a cat's eyes.  The first, primary glaucoma, happens when the eye fluid doesn't drain and creates increased pressure that destroys the eye's retina and damages the optic disk where the optic nerve comes into the eye.  Secondary glaucoma is usually related to chronic eye inflammation (uveitis), other conditions already present, like cataracts, or too many white or red blood cells that block where the eye fluid drains.

In both cats and people, glaucoma is a painful condition.  Because, as we know, cats are very good at hiding pain, pet parents need to be vigilant about looking for abnormal behavior, the first indicator something is wrong.  Behavior changes in your cat might include less regular grooming, hiding and sleeping more, being less affectionate and even eating less.  Specific signs of glaucoma can include everything from a partially closed or bloodshot eye, to sudden blindness.  Other things to look for are watery discharge, a swelling or bulging eye, a dilated pupil, and a cloudy look to the eye.  If you see any of these signs in your cat, call your vet right away.  Wifi's glaucoma was discovered during a routine exam, so it's always important to make sure your cat has regular vet visits.

To help diagnose whether or not your cat has glaucoma, your vet may use a Tonopen, a small device that measures eye fluid pressure.  If that indicates glaucoma, treatment may include eye drop medication to reduce the eye pressure and manage pain.  If the glaucoma is advanced with very high eye fluid pressure, the vet may use an intravenous IV to quickly reduce the pressure or recommend surgery.  There are lots of feline ophthalmologists so if you need specialized treatment for your cat, ask your vet for a recommendation.

Once the eye pressure is normalized, the vet will probably want to see what underlying conditions might have caused glaucoma in your cat.  It's usually triggered by something else going on so it's important to know all the possible causes in planning treatment and looking beyond it.

Making sure your cat has regular vet visits will help you and your vet quickly catch glaucoma and any other problems that might be coming on.  A long-term and ongoing health record for your cat lets your vet know what "normal" is for your cat and identify when things are changing.

CLICK HERE to read more about glaucoma in cats from vscot.com.

CLICK HERE to read some specifics on causes and symptoms from petmd.com.