My cat has glassy eyes. Is this a sign of cataracts or other issues?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! She is gorgeous! Her eyes are likely reacting to the light and her surroundings and this is unlikely to be an actual issue. I would continue to monitor her for signs of eye discharge or discomfort and have her evaluated if any of these are seen. However, I think she is most likely just fine. Good luck!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your cat. I recommend that he sees a veterinarian. He seems to have an opacity in his eye. This can be on the cornea (surface of his eye) or on the lens. He could have a scratch across his eye or even a scar. If the problem is on his lens, then a cataract is a possibility. His veterinarian will examine his eye with a special instrument called an ophthalmic scope. Some tests may be recommended as well. I hope this information helps!

It looks like that left eye may have some ongoing damage ongoing problem with the cornea clear, (front part of the eye). Does she seem like she can see? Does she walk along walls (as though looking to be leaning in for a knowledge of where she is), does she bump into things? If she does not bump into things and DOES seem to be able to see, then her pupils are probably functioning appropriately even if you can't see it. However it is possible too that she has some lens changes... the lens in the left eye looks a bit cloudy in the picture. As long as she's an indoor cat, it shouldn't matter too much whether or not she can see. Most blind animals do quite well and function great as pets. However, if she seems uncomfortable or painful, I would encourage you to take her to your vet to have the eyes re-evaluated. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Thank you for visiting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. A blurry spot can mean that you pet either has a scar on the cornea or it could indicate a corneal ulcer, depending on how this looks. There is also the potential it could be nuclear sclerosis, if it is a deeper opacity that you are seeing. Please submit a photo of the eye in question for clarification on what this likely is, or have your vet do a physical exam to confirm. If it is a corneal ulcer, it needs to be confirmed with an eye test through your veterinarian and then treated with medication. Corneal ulcers however cause excessive blinking and eye discharge. Nuclear sclerosis is common in older cats, and I'm not sure how old your cat is, but they don't require any treatment.. And corneal scars are basically scarring from a previous corneal injury, which typically are permanent and don't require treatment. I wish you the best moving forward with your fur baby. Take care.

It's a little difficult to tell in you picture but it looks like there is something in the anterior chamber of Lady's eye between the iris and the clear cornea - this might be inflammatory cells or the iris may be bowed forward. A cataract is an opacity on the lens behind the pupil. Lady's eye definitely looks abnormal and I would worry about her vision in that eye however - I would recommend having a vet examine the eye in person to determine what might need to happen next.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be due to an eye injury or conditions such as a corneal laceration, corneal ulcer, conjunctivitis, dry eye (also known as KCS), among many other conditions. I highly recommend that you have Lewi evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Further therapy would be based on the findings. Good luck and best wishes!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Small or constricted pupils may be a sign of uveitis, which means inflammation in the front chamber of the eye. This can be due to infectious causes (bacterial/viral/fungal), high blood pressure, immune-mediated diseases or trauma, among other things. Cats with uveitis are often painful, however, and will show squinting of the eyes, will be sensitive to light, are often hiding, etc. It is possible that he has no ocular issues, and that you have just never observed his pupils in a dark room (this is very hard to do!). You can test if he can see by gently motioning toward his eyes with your hand (called a menace response) to see if he blinks. If he is squinting his eyes, has abnormal discharge (yellow/green, thick/mucoid), or very red conjunctiva, I recommend bringing him to your veterinarian to be evaluated. I hope this is helpful!