Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Laser treatment appears safe for dark iris spots in cats
By Fuchs, Allison A et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2024·1Virginia Veterinary Centers·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Diode laser ablation of progressive pigmented iris lesions in 317 cats (356 eyes) appears overall safe and effective in decreasing progression of iris pigmentation.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 317 cats with progressive pigmented iris lesions underwent a new treatment called diode laser ablation to help reduce the pigmentation. While some cats experienced minor complications like corneal ulcers or glaucoma, the procedure was generally safe and effective. Most cats showed improvement, with 96% still alive one year later. This treatment could be a good option for cats with similar eye problems, as it helps manage the condition with minimal risks.
People also search for: cat eye problems treatment · feline iris pigmentation · diode laser for cat eye lesions · glaucoma in cats · corneal ulcer in cats
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe a novel scoring system of feline pigmented iris lesions prior to utilization of diode laser ablation of progressive pigmented iris lesions and to retrospectively evaluate short- and long-term patient outcomes following transcorneal diode laser ablation. ANIMALS: 317 client-owned cats (356 eyes) were included. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: Records of cats undergoing diode laser ablation from January 2000 to December 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. A novel clinical grading system to describe severity of feline iris hyperpigmentation was developed. Recorded parameters included signalment, operated-upon eye, presurgical iris pigmentation score, intraocular pressure, visual status, postoperative complications, repeat laser surgery, patient status at last follow-up, time to death, and presumptive or known cause of death. RESULTS: Complications included corneal ulceration (25/356 [7%]), glaucoma (18/356 [5%]), uveitis (4/356 [1.1%]), and corneal edema (3/356 [0.8%]). Enucleation was performed in 12 eyes due to blindness and secondary glaucoma. Repeat laser due to continued progression of pigment was performed in 18.5% of eyes. Two study patients were euthanized due to presumptive metastatic disease. Of the 250 cats for whom confirmation was available via phone call or medical records, 240 (96%) were alive at 1 year. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Diode laser ablation appears safe overall and may be effective in decreasing progression of feline iris pigmentation. Complication risks appear minimal.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37758183/