dry eye in cats: an overview

Pet Health Article

• Dry Eye in Cats: An Overview

Dry eye in cats is a condition in which the glands of the eyelids are unable to properly secrete lubrication to protect the eye and keep it moist. Dry eye is a serious condition that can result in severe pain and blindness if it is not addressed.

Dry eye in cats is also known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca or KCS. It is not an uncommon condition in cats, and it occurs when the proper amount of tears are not produced by the glands above the eye and in the third eyelid. As a result, the cornea of the eye becomes dry, inflamed, and irritated.

KCS is usually defined by the tear glands’ inability to produce water in the tears. Due to the fact that tears are a combination of mostly water with an addition of oil and mucus, if left untreated KCS will result in eyes which have a thick oily mucus layer over the eyes. In most cases, both eyes are affected.

With time, the cornea can become scratched and scarred, and blindness will eventually occur. Dry eye is also a notoriously painful condition, and cats with this illness may also suffer from depression and irritability as a result of their pain.

Cats may suffer from KCS at any age, and cat breeds of all kinds are susceptible to the condition. In most cases, dry eye in cats is due to an infection of feline herpesvirus. KCS treatments are available, and fortunately newer types of surgical and nonsurgical treatments have improved the manageability of dry eyes.