Primary glaucoma causing red or enlarged eyes in Burmese cats

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To document the clinical signs and management of primary glaucoma in Burmese cats. DESIGN: A retrospective study of six affected Burmese cats, from 1996 to 2001. Procedure Six Burmese cats diagnosed with primary glaucoma were managed over periods varying from 3 months to 4.5 years. Clinical details were obtained from practice records. Gonioscopic examination of the drainage or iridocorneal angle in eyes of these affected cats was made. RESULTS: Six desexed female Burmese cats (ages 7.0 to 10.5 years) presented with complaints of either unilateral (n = 4) or bilateral (n = 2) red eye, dilated pupil or enlarged eye. In one of the affected cats, one eye had been enucleated prior to the commencement of the study, thus a total of 11 eyes were examined. Clinically, all affected eyes (n = 8) had injected episcleral blood vessels and elevated intraocular pressure. Gonioscopy revealed the presence of nine narrow and two closed iridocorneal angles. Medical therapy included topical 2% dorzolamide (n = 8), 0.5% timolol maleate (n = 1), 0.005% latanoprost (n = 1) and 0.5-1.0% prednisolone acetate (n = 8). Surgery was performed in six eyes using either diode laser (n = 5) and/or cryothermy (n = 2) and one eye was eviscerated, with implantation of a prosthesis. With therapy, five affected eyes maintained vision and normal intraocular pressure, one eye remained blind with normal intraocular pressure, one eye remained blind with elevated intraocular pressure and one eye was eviscerated. CONCLUSIONS: The Burmese cat may be predisposed to primary narrow-angle glaucoma. Early diagnosis and continuous antiglaucoma therapy can help control intraocular pressure and maintain vision.