Help....Calley has gone blind

I don't know what to think, but I'm sad and terrified for Calley. I'm left wondering if Calley went blind due to her hypo episode from Monday?

I found her walking into walls today and her eyes are big and black. She can't see. So I took her to the vet and they said she is totally blind. They don't know what caused it. I talked them into taking blood to see if something is causing it. Her numbers have been "normal" since the hypo event. I haven't noticed the huge eyes before today. Maybe she was going blind the last few days?

The vet said that she has never heard of a cat going totally blind from a diabetic hypo event.

Thoughts.

I am so upset. She is just walking around the house not knowing where she is.

 

Im so sorry! Im sure one of the more experienced beans will be along shortly to offer some support, but in the meantime (((((((massive hug))))))))

Perhaps giving Calley a cuddle and ensuring she knows where you are and that you're close might make her feel a little more at ease?

 

It is possible there has been a retinal detachment. The vet should be able to see if there is retinal detachment.
Also high blood pressure can cause vision issues.
A blood clot to the retinal veins would also cause blindness.
Cats can learn to cope with being blind; most importantly, don't move things around and limit her space until she adjusts.

 

Would a retinal detachment cause both eyes to go blind at the same time?

She has found her favorite chair and is resting. I'm giving her lots of love and calling her to me often so she knows I'm still here.

I guess as long as she can find her litter box and food and water bowls....she will be ok. but I want an answer as to what this is. The vet can't say .....just says that the eyes are not responding to light at all.....no dilation at all.

 

This is from a Gwen Cooper's website. She had a blind cat named Homer.

Q: I recently adopted a blind kitten, or have an older cat that’s going blind. What can I do to help her out?
A: First, you should bring your cat to the vet to confirm that there has been vision loss. Sometimes vision loss may be temporary or related to treatable conditions. Your vet is the best person to make that diagnosis.

If it does turn out that your cat is losing or has lost her vision, here are a few things you can do to make your home more “blind cat friendly”:

• Make sure that food, water, and litter are always kept in the same place. “Introduce” your blind cat to each of these items by placing her directly in front of them (or, in the case of the litter box, directly in it), and letting her find her way back from them to the rest of your home. This will help her memorize, in a way that makes sense for her, exactly where those things are.
• If your home is large, you might want to have two litter boxes so that your cat is never too far from one of them to be able to find it.
• Try not to leave unnecessary items—like shoes, boxes, umbrellas, etc.—lying around on the floor. The neater your home is, the easier it will be for your blind cat to move around it.
• You may want to mark the entryways to different rooms with different-smelling perfumes or other types of oils/items that give off scent. This will help your cat distinguish one room from another. However you will probably find that, eventually, your blind cat will remember which room is which without the use of these aids.
• Buy some toys with bells! Actually, any kind of toy that makes a sound will be the most fun for your blind cat. Blind cats love to play and “hunt” just as much as—if not more than—sighted cats!
• Personally, I recommend against any blind cat’s being an outdoor cat.

 

A hype can cause blindness. When was the hypo? Your spreadsheet ends on 9/14/2014.
I had a blind cat years ago. The only problem would be when either she ran into one of my other cats or they ran into her.

 

You need to take her to an eye specialist, who has all the equipment (same as a human eye doctor) and can really exam her eyes. Yes, it could be caused by the hypo and be temporary. But it also could be a result of something else.

If it is from a hypo, it's possible that it could be temporary and not permanent blindness. But either way, you need to know to give you peace of mind.

Maui went blind, not from diabetes, but from a disease called PRA - Progressive Retinal Atrophy. We went to an eye specialist, he did a complete exam and knew immediately that this was the cause. Her pupils would dilate at the wrong times too and it fooled me for the longest time.

This disease is progressive and the vet said that Maui gradually went blind and it could have happened over the course of a year. She was used to it, I had to learn to adjust.

If it is PRA - it's not painful and the cat does adjust, most very easily. In Maui's case, I swear she counted her steps. I started to use a lot of verbal commands with her, such as saying "wall Maui" to stop her from walking into walls and objects.

 

The vet recommended a specialist...but I can't afford that. I can call and get prices but I know that I won't be able to afford it. Her hypo had her down to 60....and they lower to 47....but her only signs of it was the vomiting. She did not have any symptoms...no convulsions, no seizures nothing. Just the vomiting. I tested her and she was low, but I got her up quickly to 90 within an hour with syrup and food. She was up to 200 within two hours.

The vet says she was not in any pain with the vision loss. She did not say that it was retinal detachment. They took blood.

That is all I know. I tend to think that it has to do with the hypo. I mean what else could it be.?

 

I had a diabetic cat many years ago, when I was a very inexperienced cat mom and she went blind after a hypo. But in her case it was only temporary. her eyes were just as you described and she would move her head around, unseeing. But, thank God, within 24 hours she had regained her sight. I have no idea how it happened or what made her experience this and I'm not saying it will happen for poor Calley but that was our experience. Prayers that Calley will regain her sight too.

Molly

 

Thanks Molly...gives me hope that maybe Calley's condition is temporary too. Question..did your diabetic cat go blind the same day she went hypo or a few days later? Calley's eyes were not like this on Monday or for three days after her hypo.

 

When you call the specialist you may want to ask about payment plans, or something along that line. Some vets are more willing to work with you than others. I truly hope this is temporary. Give her all the loves and comfort you can to make her feel safe.

 

Hi Kristin,
The kitty who went blind, Boo, didn't have it happen till about 24 hours after her hypo. I noticed the day after the hypo that she had gone downstairs to one of the little beds we had set up for her and it was the place she went when she wasn't feeling good. She cocked her head when she heard me coming but her eyes looked black and dilated and after approaching her I knew she couldn't see. I was beside myself, but this was 20 years ago, before I knew much at all about diabetes (and I don't think my vet did either--she didn't even caution me about hypos!) I didn't know about blood pressure testing, kitty ophthamologists, etc. and many of the suggestions you have received here. I do remember this was a Sunday and for some reason my vet couldn't see us immediately, so I just stayed with Boo, hand fed her, put her in her litter box etc. By the next day her eyes looked better and she was able to climb out of her bed, see to eat and use her box, and I couldn't have been happier if I had won the lottery. Like I mentioned, I don't know to this day what kind of temporary thing occurred to have her lose her sight and then regain it. I am praying hard that your beloved Calley can recover her sight too. I know how heartbroken and panicked you must be. I think I cried for the whole day and night after this happened to Boo. I was just as much of a basket case then as I am now. Please keep us posted and know that all of us here are pulling for you and Calley.

Molly

 

Thanks Molly for the reply. Unfortunately, Calley has not shown any improvements and it is now day 2. I am so glad your Boo improved. What a relief for you then.

I have not cried yet. I think I am so numb and dumbfounded by it all that I cant' think straight. This how thing with Calley is compounded by the fact that my 75 yr old father just went through a very similar thing and he has been left blinded. He had bleeding in the eye and his glaucoma pressure was through the roof and his diabetes is all out of wack too. I just can't believe this is all happening at the same time.

 

First calm down and relax. Hopefully Calley's vision will return after a couple of days. I've had cats go temporary blind after surgery and the vision return.

I also have a blind cat right now, she's been with me almost 4 years. They can live just fine blind, mine creeps people out because of how well she does and she has no eyes.... (They were surgically removed due to severe infection as little kitten)

The biggest thing you can do for her is to NOT move any thing. She knows where things are and if you move them she'll have troubles finding them. My kitty moves by memory and runs down the hallway. If I'm bad and leave something in the way she crashes into it because it new.

Talk to her a lot. Alfie (my blind cat) is VERY responsive to my voice. She knows when to stop moving if she got somewhere stupid and she trusts me when I tell her its safe to jump down. She also follows me by the sound of my voice.

They're very good about using the little box too. Alfie has actually gone potty in bags of litter left out because she knew it was litter. She also has gone pee where her litter box is supposed to be but was moved for cleaning....

Sometimes she loses her food dish at feedings and I just tap her dish and she comes back to it.... though honestly it wouldn't hurt her to 'lose' a couple meals....

It's not the end of the world if she somehow loses her vision permanently. Right now is stressful because she doesn't know whats going on and you're just going to make it worse by stressing out and she picks up on that. Once she adjusts to her lost vision she'll be fine. (Or her vision come back! Fingers crossed!)

So take a deep breath and keep giving Calley the best care you can. *hug*

 

I'm so sad and heartbroken over my lil guy. Simba has been diabetic for 6yrs. I was concerned about his eyes. Took him to Vet this Saturday and got the news that he has no vision from right eye due to diabetes/catarac.

She didn't say to take him to an opthamologist. She said his left eye is normal....I'm devastated and I question if there's anything I can do. I'm deeply concerned that his left eye will eventually go. Does anyone have any advice ?

 

If it is at all feasible I would take him to a specialist.

I am tagging @Critter Mom to see if she has some more information for you. She has a lot of experience with blindness in kitties. Also tagging @Bobbie And Bubba whose kitty had to have an eye removed but is doing fine. Hopefully one or both of them will have some other avenues you can check.

You might want to start a separate posting for this since the original thread is quite old. You can post in the Health section:

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/forums/health-links-faqs-about-feline-diabetes.14/

to get more eyes on this.

So sorry you are going through this. Sending prayers and healing energy and lots of hugs for you.

 

I am very surprised that the blindness in one eye is due to cataracts.
With diabetes in cats cataracts vey very slowly and is bilateral (effects both eyes).
I had to cats that were diabetic for abut 10 years and they had cataracts but they could see well enough to not notice the cataracts.
I have a civi, Moxie, in which cataracts were notices at about 6 weeks. She is about 9 years old now and the cataracts have progressed. Now when one looks into the eyes with an ophthalmoscope the retina can't be seen because of the cataracts. However, Moxies gets along fine and one can't notice by her behavior that she has such bad cataracts.
However, in dogs, with poor BG control cataracts progresses fast and does lead to blindness.

 

I had one incident of a "brain blindness" hypo. Rover heard our voices calling him and came to us in a straight line. Fortunately, that straight line was full of obstacles that he bumped into and stumbled through. It cleared up by the time we got to the emergency vet and there was no lasting damage.

The Er vet dropped a cotton ball from above and also from beside the eyes. Rover followed the cotton ball down.

 

Hi there Tuxedo mom tagged me. Your kitty looks so much like my Bubba and had to have an eye removed because of cancer. A few questions because your kitties is orange,did you notice some dark flecks in the iris prior to blindness? This "freckling is commo
In orange cats. I will explain upon your answe.

 

I had a cat called Ming, a Burmese, who went blind from high blood pressure.....in those days you had to go to a specialist to have the blood pressure taken and we didn't know til it was too late.
She learnt to manage so well, I didn't even realise she was blind until I noticed she had a wet tail several days in a row. I watched and followed her and as she went outside and alongside the pool, her tail would dip in the water. She then proceeded around the side of the house, down some steps, across the driveway, up some more steps and onto the front lawn. You would never have guessed she was blind just watching her. She managed well for several years and walked confidently around the house; she knew how many stairs there were and where they were, and she lived to the age of 21 years.
So even if the worst happens and Calley does not regain her sight, she will learn to manage very well.

 

Than you so much Tuxedo Mom. I wasn't sure where to post...Thank you for letting me know. I need to get more info on this.

 

Since there are a number of people with knowledge on eye problems already posting on this thread you can continue posting here for now if you like, If you read the posts above this a few people have asked questions that may give some useful information on what could be done.

 

Most likely I will take Simba to an opthamologist. I love my little guy. He's such a loveable kitty. It breaks my heart when pets get sick. Thank you.

 

That would probably be the best approach but some of the other posters may have some information on questions you can ask. All the others who posted have dealt with various eye conditions and personal experience certainly can give some good insights.


ETA Bobbie and Bubba have dealt with some major eye problems and I believe there is some conditions that are more prone to happen with orange kitties. Her post is above...this is a repeat of the question asked:

"Hi there Tuxedo mom tagged me. Your kitty looks so much like my Bubba and had to have an eye removed because of cancer. A few questions because your kitties is orange,did you notice some dark flecks in the iris prior to blindness? This "freckling is commo
In orange cats. I will explain upon your answe."

Also Bron and Sheba brought up the issue of high blood pressure which should be checked since it can lead to eye problems amongst other things.


Additonal ETA I personally do not have any experience or knowledge on this issue but those who have posted have dealt with various eye problems and can gibe some good insights.

 

I'm not so sure I noticed dark flecks. What is that ? I know his eyes get really watery and sometimes yellow pus. I thought most likely allergies. It's overwhelming that my kitty is diabetic and now to find out he's blind from one eye is just to much to bare. I'm so afraid he will eventually lose his vision on left eye and be totally blind. This is extremely hard for me.

 

You mean freckles....Yes, last few months his nose turned a different color...I asked Vet and even sent her a pic. Vet tells me it's freckles....But it's on his nose. I do notice some dark spots around eye...Which I think it's like a birth mark.

 

The dark spots on the iris of the eye can be benign especially on orange cats. But if those dark spots turn raised and/or velvety looking it can mean the spots have turned malignant which was the case in Bubba's right eye.

We watched Bubba's dark spots on his eye for a few years until they mutated and mandated his right eye removal.

If at all possible, I would take your cat to an eye specialist to find out what is going on. Sorry about my previous post. It was on my phone and lots of typos.

 

Thank you so much. Yes, I'll take Simba to see a specialist. Thank you again.

 

Did they do a blood pressure test? High blood pressure can blind them temporarily or permanently. They put a cuff on their leg just like for a person. My old boy has high blood pressure and takes meds for it. Thankfully we caught it before any vision problems.

 

A good veterinary opthalmologist will likely do far more for your kitty than a general practice vet. The sooner you get seen by a specialist I think it's more likely that you'll get better treatment and advice.

Ask for a full eye exam, including a measure of intraocular pressure as well as examination of the retina, etc.

As already mentioned you need to get your kitty's blood pressure checked regularly. If possible ask your vet to do the BP measurement in your home (reduces risk of elevation of BP due to vet stress).

I strongly recommend that you also ask for a full blood work-up. Kidney values are very important to check. I'd also suggest asking for a Spec fPL test for pancreatitis, since this condition can lead to development of uveitis in the eyes. (Found that out the hard way; Saoirse lost an eye as a consequence.)

Sending positive vibes that you'll find an excellent specialist.




Mogs
.

 

Has anyone tried Lanomax On their cat with Cataracts? It is supposed to dissolve the cataracts. There a Lot of info on line about it. It's available ( Not on Amazon) on this web site https://www.lanomax.com/retail/index.php/lanomax-5ml.html

 

This is a little murky around the edges. Pun intended.
I had a serious RTA at the age of 19 which, among other problemos, led to a cataract in my right eye. An eye saved by surgeries so in a way I am not being flippant. It is close to me and my eyesight. It's something i have needed to know about.

The assorted reports state that drops alone will not help. It needs to be a series of injections into the eye under anesthesia. Even this is debatable.

I suggest reading the medical trials on this .

 

not really advice but my kitty went blind completely and cats get around just fine without sight...they rely on senses we do not have...take comfort in this as they are not like humans and sight is not their most important sense as we would instinctively think it is....

 

@PussCatPrince I'm often sceptical about any report that involves The medical community. If these drops actually worked it would take away a LOT of business from Opthamologists.

The medical report I read https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4784074/ Was a test done on Human cataracts & they only used the drops for 6 days

"the concentration of lanosterol used by us may have been inadequate to reverse the cataract in senile human lenses."

 

@PussCatPrince
This is taken from a 2018 study of the Lanomax eye drops "

" It may be reasonable to verify if different lanosterol concentrations or the choice of a different solvent or treating cataract with different etiologies could improve clinical outcomes."

The web site that sells it states it needs to be used 2X a day for 6 weeks. The tests done were only for 6 days.

If my cat gets cataracts from diabetes I'd be willing to try it.

Lanosterol Eye Drops in a Human Juvenile... (PDF Download Available). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/public...ye_Drops_in_a_Human_Juvenile_Nuclear_Cataract [accessed Apr 19 2018].

 

Interesting article about the effect Cataract Eye drops would cause on the medical Community http://www.dghtechnology.com/blog/multi-billion-dollar-question-eye-drops-really-cure-cataracts/

 

@Winni
Have you read the info on the websites I posted? It might be something that can help your kitty & anyone else with a cat with cataracts.

 

@allison goodall
@Becky & Baby Girl Kitty

Thank you both.
I'm trying to be helpful but no one seems interested to even read the information?

 

How is calley

 

This is an old post from December 2014 that was resurrected. Doesn't look like the original poster has been back since early 2015.

 

I've read the reports and the research before. Eyesight is very close to my own heart. There are differing forms of cataracts and differing causes. For me, there is not enough clinical trials out there yet. It isn't just about helpfully improving sight in an eye, it is also about doing no harm.
We could have a discussion but likely this is better int he Think Tank so as not to derail Kris10mo thread about her pusscat.

From what I have read Calley does not have cataracts as it seems to be a sudden acute onset , perhaps from BP &/or retinal issues (which Ty has for one eye) and there has not been an ongoing concern over milkiness .

 

Oh! Soz. I had not noticed that.

Thank you.

 

Talk to @Becky & Baby Girl Kitty . Baby (BGK) is blind but Becky and BGK have managed. It might be temporary, I've seen it happen before.

 

I saw this as being a very old post but if this is someone’s concern now, let me know. Baby had uveitis & glaucoma. She had to have both removed. Blind kitties adapt well with some help from their owner! All I can say is that an eye specialist is needed to get a proper diagnosis- & treatment plan. I don’t know of any normal vets that have this specialized equipment & training.