Eye health is very important for cats and should be checked by cat owners regularly. Cat owners should know in advance what action needs to be taken when there is an infection so as to prevent this problem from continuing. If you can detect the infection early, you can take a look and decide if this problem can be treated at home or should be taken to the doctor. If in doubt, check with your doctor or a professional as some problems can be dangerous and your cat may lose sight or even his eyes.
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Part 1 of 3: Checking for a Cat's Eye Infection
Step 1. Find out the symptoms of an eye infection
Always be on the lookout for signs that appear in your cat's eyes. Symptoms can include any of the following:
- Blinking or closing the eyes: This is not normal and is a sign that the cat is feeling discomfort or pain in its eyes. This can be due to the effects of trauma, infection, high pressure in the eye, foreign bodies entering the folds of the eye, or swelling of the eye.
- Swollen eyelids: This is definitely a sign that something is wrong – usually trauma, infection, or allergies.
- Mole: Cats usually produce discharge or discharge in the inner corner of the eye, especially when they wake up and have not cleaned themselves. Normal eye discharge is clear or slightly yellowish brown. And it's also normal when the mole is exposed to air to become dry and slightly hard in shape. However, if the discharge is yellow or green, it is a sign that the cat's eye is infected.
- Redness of the eyeball: The white part of the eyeball should only be white. If you have pink or red blood vessels, this is not normal and could be a sign of an allergy, infection, or glaucoma (high pressure in the eye.)
- Loss of the clear surface of the eye: A healthy eye has a surface that can reflect light, and if you look closely, the reflection is smooth and not fragmented. If you notice that the surface of the eye is so blurry that it's a bit difficult to see the reflection, or the reflection is split or cut off, this is not normal. This could be an indication of dry eyes (lack of tears) or eye ulcers.
Step 2. Examine your cat's eyes under a bright light
To be able to tell if there is a problem with your cat's eyes, get your cat checked with adequate lighting. You can determine which eye is infected by comparing one eye to the other. Look closely at the infected eye and remember what you see, such as the color of the discharge, whether there is redness in the eye, where it hurts, and so on.
Step 3. Think carefully about whether you need to take your cat to the vet
Some wounds need to be treated by a veterinarian, they cannot be treated on their own. If you notice any of the following signs, your cat should be examined by a veterinarian:
- Uncomfortable vision (cat keeps eyes closed)
- Yellow or green mole
- Blurry surface of the eye
- Large visible blood vessels on the surface of the eye.
Part 2 of 3: Treating Eye Infections at Home
Step 1. Clean the eye wax
If your cat's eyes are watery or have discharge, use a cotton swab moistened with water to remove the dirt. Do this as often as needed, perhaps for infected cats to be cleaned every hour.
- Gently pat dry.
- When the cotton is dirty, replace it with a new one. Use a separate cotton swab between the left and right eyes.
Step 2. Be careful handling the kitten's eyes
In the eyes of kittens, cases of infection are not so many that it causes the eyelids to be covered with eye discharge. It is very important to clean their eyes because the infection can build up behind the eyelids and lead to blindness.
If the cat's eyelids are closed due to sticky eye discharge, moisten a clean cotton swab with hot water (then leave it for a while). Wipe the wet cotton into the eye area several times, wiping from the inside of the corner of the eye and then out. At the same time also use the fingers of the other hand to gently pull the upper and lower eyelids to open the eyes
Step 3. Always keep the cat's eyes away from anything that could be distracting
Trim the long fur near the eyes and always clean the cat's face. Also avoid using aerosol near cats, as their eyes are very sensitive and can water.
Part 3 of 3: Treating Eye Infections Medically
Step 1. Always stick to your cat's vaccination schedule
Maybe many people don't know, but vaccination can prevent eye infections. Cat flu and chlamydia are common causes of eye infections that can be prevented by vaccination.
Step 2. Take your cat to the vet so the infection can be checked and treated
Eye infections are usually caused by bacteria or viruses. Infections caused by viruses can be fought by the cat's own immune system. While infections caused by bacteria are treated with eye ointments or eye drops that contain antibiotics.
- Viruses that can affect the eyes are herpes virus and calicivirus. Some veterinarians will prescribe antibiotics in the form of an ointment even if the cause may be a viral infection, as this type of infection can mix with more dangerous bacteria and can lead to ongoing infections.
- Bacteria that can infect the eye and cause infection are Staphylococcus, E.coli, Proteus, and Pseudomonas. Don't forget to wash your hands after treating a cat with an infected eye, as it can be contagious.
Step 3. Use medication as directed
Depending on the content of the content, antibiotic treatment can be used in any area from twice a day to every hour. Antibiotics that must be taken (pills, tablets, etc.) are usually not given unless you can't give the ointment because your cat refuses to be given the ointment.
