The cat’s eye is a dynamic structure that allows the animal to be an expert hunter throughout the day, the pupil muscles allow you to control the amount of light that enters the eye and thus improve the quality of the images.
When you live and play with your cat, you should be attentive to your students because they say a lot about the behavior and health of your pet.If you have a cat with one pupil larger than the other, you should continue reading this Animal Expert article to understand what anisocoria is in cats.
- The pupil (black part in the center of the eye) is the opening in the central part of the iris (the colored part of the eye) and that has the function of regulating the entry of light into the back chamber of the eye.
- Functioning When the animal is in a very bright environment.
- The pupil performs a contraction (myosis) and.
- Conversely.
- When in a darker environment and without light.
- The pupil expands (midriasis) so that the animal can see better.
Anisocoria is characterized by an asymmetrical or uneven pupil size, in which one of the pupils is larger (more dilated) or smaller (more contracted) than normal.
In front of a cat with an enlarged pupil and another, do not compare the size of the pupils, notice other changes in the appearance of the eye (change of color, increased production of tears, drooping eyelid) and check if the animal has discomfort and pain.
While it seems that this condition does not affect the animal, if it suddenly appears it should be considered an emergency, as it is a sign that something is wrong and it is necessary to act quickly.
It is important to understand that anisocoria is a symptom and not a disease, but that is reason enough for you to take your pet to the veterinarian, the causes of anisocoria are multiple and varied:
In this case, we have a cat with a pupil larger than the other from birth, it is something that is intrinsic to it and, in general, poses no risk to vision.
Feline leukemia is a very common virus in cats and can cause lymphoma and affect the nervous system, including nerves that disturb the eye and therefore alter pupil size.
The cornea is a transparent layer located in front of the iris and pupil, which protects them and helps centralize light.A corneal injury, such as an ulcer, can affect the pupil and alter the mechanisms of pupil dilation and contraction.This type of condition is very common due to cat fights, which use their fingernails to fight and hurt themselves.Accidental injuries or eye surgery can also cause injuries not only to the cornea, but also to the later structures of the eyeball.
Scar tissue formations inside the eye, resulting in adhesions between separate structures, altering the architecture of the eye, including the pupils.
The iris may atrophy and, when atrophy, may alter the size of the pupil of the affected eye; this condition usually occurs in older dogs.
The uria consists of three eye structures (iris, ciliary body and choroid membrane) and inflammation of one or more structures of the uvea is called uveitis and can affect the size of the pupil, making it generally smaller.In addition, uveitis is accompanied by pain.
Glaucoma is characterized by increased intraocular pressure, this increased pressure causes an alteration of the eye structures and one of the associated symptoms is anisocoria.
Diffuse cat iris melanoma (FDIM) is one of the most common tumors and the first symptom is characterized by the presence of hyperpigmented (dark) eye spots that gradually spread or increase; As this tumor evolves, the iris architecture changes and there are abnormalities in the size and pupil, such as anisocoria or disco (abnormal shape of the pupil).Lymphoma is also one of the most common tumors and animals often have FeLV.
These lesions may involve traumatic, vascular, or tumor situations.Each of these cases can have several consequences on the nervous system, including anisocoria, depending on the site of the injury and the structures affected.
Horner syndrome in cats is characterized by a set of clinical signs derived from loss of innervation of the eyeball, due to damage to the facial and ocular nerves that make up the sympathetic nervous system. Normally, only one eye is affected and, in addition to the fact that that eye has a more constricted pupil than normal, it has a droopy upper eyelid (palpebral ptosis), enophthalmos (depression of the eyeball towards the orbit) and a bulge of the third eyelid . (the third eyelid) visible when this is not normal).
Additional tests may include
It is only after the diagnosis is identified that the correct treatment can be applied, since anisocoria has no direct treatment, it is necessary to find the reason for this symptom and treat the adjacent disease.
Treatment may include, but is not limited to:
This article is for informational purposes only, in Animal Expert.com.br we cannot prescribe veterinary treatments or make any type of diagnosis, we suggest taking your pet to the veterinarian in case of any type of condition or discomfort.
If you would like to read articles similar to Anisocoria in cats: causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment, we recommend that you visit our Eye Problems section.