Cat's eyelashes growing into his eyes; is surgery successful?

splishsplash

We have a new visitor in recent weeks - a lovely old guy, wholly intact (in your face wholly intact :rotfl:) but one eye is constantly streaming bloody and/or mucous-streaked discharge.

I have managed to wash his eye to see what the problem is and it seems to be that the eyelashes are growing into the eye. I can correct them and tamp them down but the minute he rubs against anything, they flip up into his eye again.

Google tells me surgery might be indicated. He's a really lovely guy but I'm convinced he's quite blind - I would love to think we could make him more comfortable. I'm pretty sure he is not owned by anyone, so I would have no problem taking him to be operated on (and neutered too, if possible), but I would like reassurance that it would actually help him before traumatizing him so much.

Anyone have a cat with a similar problem? Any advice about what we can do to help him?

theoretica

Poor moggy. If you are worried about the trauma of taking him in, perhaps the vet would advise if you took a picture?

splishsplash

theoretica wrote: »

Poor moggy. If you are worried about the trauma of taking him in, perhaps the vet would advise if you took a picture?

Yes, good idea, I can certainly try that, thanks.

Lilyjade

We've seen this at the rescue where I volunteer. It's really painful for the cat, so even if the eyesight can't be saved, it's a worthwhile operation to relieve them of the pain.

splishsplash

Lilyjade wrote: »

We've seen this at the rescue where I volunteer. It's really painful for the cat, so even if the eyesight can't be saved, it's a worthwhile operation to relieve them of the pain.

In your experience, does the pain resolve with surgery? That's really all I need to hear, that the operation is worth doing for pain relief.
If his eyesight recovers it will be a bonus, but not the primary reason for getting it done.

He's pushing on a bit, I'd say. He's had a tough life, I think, and even now gets horribly beaten up by other toms. He has appeared battered and bloody on a few occasions and I think it is mainly because he can't see to defend himself .

I think even to get him neutered will enhance his life significantly. If he got a good result with his eye then he would be on cloud nine, I'd say.

WeAreGhosts

Is the discharge brown-y reddish? If so, it's not blood - it's caused when the tears from the eyes are deposited on fur, the normal bacteria in the fur degrades the tears and that colour is the result. Just wipe it away gently from the cheek. The stain can burn the skin if left.

Bit concerning that you "washed" the eye? I wouldn't touch the eye at all, you could make things worse.

They're also at risk of corneal ulcers with this (my cat's had two) and they're painful but treatable if caught in time.

Lilyjade

splishsplash wrote: »

In your experience, does the pain resolve with surgery? That's really all I need to hear, that the operation is worth doing for pain relief.
If his eyesight recovers it will be a bonus, but not the primary reason for getting it done.

He's pushing on a bit, I'd say. He's had a tough life, I think, and even now gets horribly beaten up by other toms. He has appeared battered and bloody on a few occasions and I think it is mainly because he can't see to defend himself .

I think even to get him neutered will enhance his life significantly. If he got a good result with his eye then he would be on cloud nine, I'd say.

Medication was used first, mainly to remove the infection in his eyes, but he did need to have surgery in the end to sort out the eyelashes completely. This was on a old and battered stray who had loads of other problems including breaks that hadn't healed right so he couldn't walk, sit or jump properly. The surgery was deemed worth the risk on this old boy to resolve the pain in his eyes. Afterwards he was so much brighter, so he would have been in so much pain with his eyes.

I would take the cat to a vet, they can see the extent of the problem and if surgery is needed or if medication would be enough.

And I have to say it's lovely to see someone actually helping a stray like this, fingers crossed for this old boy.

splishsplash

WeAreGhosts wrote: »

Is the discharge brown-y reddish? If so, it's not blood - it's caused when the tears from the eyes are deposited on fur, the normal bacteria in the fur degrades the tears and that colour is the result. Just wipe it away gently from the cheek. The stain can burn the skin if left.

Bit concerning that you "washed" the eye? I wouldn't touch the eye at all, you could make things worse.

They're also at risk of corneal ulcers with this (my cat's had two) and they're painful but treatable if caught in time.

Yes, the discharge is browny reddish, but only on the one eye. Relieved to hear it's not blood.
When I say I wash the eye, I mean the lids and lashes - not the eyeball or bit where I put eyeliner in my own eye, if that makes sense. I can pull the eyelashes out and tamp them down onto his fur so they are away from the eyeball for a bit.

Yes, I hate the thought of his cornea becoming ulcerated. I hate that he has obviously suffered for a long time like this. He has such a lovely nature.

splishsplash

Lilyjade wrote: »

Medication was used first, mainly to remove the infection in his eyes, but he did need to have surgery in the end to sort out the eyelashes completely. This was on a old and battered stray who had loads of other problems including breaks that hadn't healed right so he couldn't walk, sit or jump properly. The surgery was deemed worth the risk on this old boy to resolve the pain in his eyes. Afterwards he was so much brighter, so he would have been in so much pain with his eyes.

I would take the cat to a vet, they can see the extent of the problem and if surgery is needed or if medication would be enough.

And I have to say it's lovely to see someone actually helping a stray like this, fingers crossed for this old boy.

Thank you, I will do that. I will update once he's seen the vet.

teddysmum

In growing eyelash ops work for dogs in rescues.


Perhaps, hopefully, the lashes are just sticking because the eye is sticky. I would think that, if his lashes were ingrowing he would long ago have had permanent obvious damage.

WeAreGhosts

splishsplash wrote: »

Yes, the discharge is browny reddish, but only on the one eye. Relieved to hear it's not blood.
When I say I wash the eye, I mean the lids and lashes - not the eyeball or bit where I put eyeliner in my own eye, if that makes sense. I can pull the eyelashes out and tamp them down onto his fur so they are away from the eyeball for a bit.

Yes, I hate the thought of his cornea becoming ulcerated. I hate that he has obviously suffered for a long time like this. He has such a lovely nature.

You can get a special eye wash to clean it more effectively - CleanOcular - http://www.petdrugsonline.co.uk/cats/grooming/eyes-and-ears/clean-ocular-eye-solution

Definitely made a difference for my cat. The discharge stuck to her cheek quickly and she had to have it surgically removed as it would have brought the skin off had we done it ourselves. This solution is much better at cleaning than plain water.
As it states, though, best run it past the vet before you use it - that one is cheaper than the vet's prices though!