Our cats can suffer eye damage of various kinds, from slight discomfort or redness to more striking phenomena such as uveitis, cataracts, hyphema or corneal ulcers. Corneal ulcers consist of erosional damage to the cat's cornea, which can be superficial or deep and, depending on how many layers of the cornea are affected, will be more or less serious and will require one or another type of therapy. While the superficial ones are more painful because the sensitivity is found in the superficial cornea (the epithelium), the ulcers that affect the inner layers are more serious because they increase the risk of perforation of the eyeball, with the serious consequences that can occur. have for our little feline.
If you continue reading this article on our site, you will be able to learn what corneal ulcers in cats consist of, what are their possible causes, symptoms and treatment.
Types of eye ulcers in cats
Ultras in the eyes of cats occur on the cornea and consist of damage or wounds on the surface of the eye that They are very painful and, in some cases, can cause complications such as infections. The cornea is a thin, transparent, avascular and smooth layer that is located in the anterior part of the eyeball and whose main function is to refract and transmit light, as well as to protect the rest of the parts of the eye.
The cornea is made up of four parts. From the outermost layer to the innermost, they are as follows:
- Epithelium of the cornea
- Corneal stroma
- Descemet's membrane
- Corneal endothelium
Depending on the depth of the damage caused to the cornea, corneal ulcers in cats can be of the following types:
- Superficial corneal ulcers: those whose erosion has occurred in the corneal epithelium and that should be resolved in a few days if there are no complications.
- Stromal corneal ulcers: when the erosion affects, in addition to the epithelium, the corneal stroma. In turn, they can be classified into anterior, middle and posterior stromal ulcers, the latter two being more serious and deeper.
- Descemetic corneal ulcers: those whose erosion has reached Descemet's membrane, so that only the endothelium protects the eye from drilling. They are an ophthalmological emergency and the solution is surgery.
- Perforated corneal ulcers: when all the layers of the cornea have been damaged, a perforated ulcer occurs in the cat's eye, developing a perforation of the eyeball with the corresponding exit of the aqueous humor from its interior.
Causes of eye ulcers in cats
The epithelium of the cornea is constantly being renewed due to phenomena such as blinking and drying out of the eye, the protection mechanisms of the cornea being sufficient so that it is not damaged and an ulcer is produced, these arise when an imbalance occurs or due to a loss of protection thereof.
Corneal ulcer in cats can be produced by causes as varied as the following:
- Traumatisms (blows, falls, introduction of foreign bodies)
- Self-trauma (scratch)
- Irritation from chemicals
- Dry Eyes
- Viral infections (feline herpesvirus type 1), bacterial or fungal
- Conjunctivitis
- Genetic causes
- Entropion
- Ectropion
- Trichiasis
- Districhiasis
- Neoplasias
- Ectopic cilia
- Lacrimal deficiencies
Symptoms of eye ulcers in cats
Corneal ulcers in cats are extremely painful, especially superficial ones because they affect the most sensitive part, so in addition to obvious pain and discomfort, cats develop clinical signs such as the following:
- Squinted Eyes
- Overproduction of tears
- Thick mucous discharge
- Swelling
- Redness
- Photosensitivity
- Conjunctivitis
- Blepharospasm
- Corneal edema
While superficial corneal ulcers are more painful, deep ulcers are more dangerous because there is a risk of perforation of the eyeball and treatment is more complicated, usually requiring surgery.
How to cure a cat's eye ulcer?
The treatment of corneal ulcers in cats will depend on its severity (superficial or deep) and the cause that originated it. So, if the cause is an infection, enter specific antiviral, antibiotic or antifungal treatment depending on the cause; if the problem is ocular, dry eye should be specifically treated with eye drops, surgery to resolve problems in the eyelids and/or eyelashes if that is the cause.
Superficial ulcers usually respond well to specific eye drops and pain control drugs, such as the use of topical atropine to dilate the pupil and control painful ciliary muscle spasm in cats with secondary uveitis, while deep ulcers may require biomaterial grafting or surgical techniques such as corneoconjunctival transposition or lamellar keratoplasty.
How long does it take for a cat's eye ulcer to heal?
The recovery time for a corneal ulcer in cats depends on the severity and the type of treatment performed. If you think "my cat has an eye ulcer that won't heal" and you haven't been to the vet, you should go as soon as possible, corneal ulcers can cause complications that can be irreversible and seriously affect your cat's eye he alth and your correct vision.
