Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat eye focusing problems linked to age and breed differences
By Konrade, Kricket A et al.·Published in American journal of veterinary research·2012·Comparative Veterinary Ophthalmology, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Refractive states of eyes and associations between ametropia and age, breed, and axial globe length in domestic cats.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A study looked at the eyesight of 98 healthy domestic cats to see how age and breed affect their vision. Kittens under 4 months old were found to be more likely to be nearsighted (myopic) compared to adult cats over a year old. Specifically, the average vision measurement for kittens was -2.45 diopters, while adult cats averaged -0.39 diopters. The research suggests that domestic shorthair cats are more prone to myopia than other breeds. As cats grow older, their vision tends to improve, indicating that some young cats may outgrow their nearsightedness.
People also search for: cat eyesight problems · why is my kitten nearsighted · domestic shorthair cat vision issues
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine the refractive states of eyes in domestic cats and to evaluate correlations between refractive error and age, breed, and axial globe measurements. ANIMALS: 98 healthy ophthalmologically normal domestic cats. PROCEDURES: The refractive state of 196 eyes (2 eyes/cat) was determined by use of streak retinoscopy. Cats were considered ametropic when the mean refractive state was ≥ ± 0.5 diopter (D). Amplitude-mode ultrasonography was used to determine axial globe length, anterior chamber length, and vitreous chamber depth. RESULTS: Mean ± SD refractive state of all eyes was -0.78 ± 1.37 D. Mean refractive error of cats changed significantly as a function of age. Mean refractive state of kittens (≤ 4 months old) was -2.45 ± 1.57 D, and mean refractive state of adult cats (> 1 year old) was -0.39 ± 0.85 D. Mean axial globe length, anterior chamber length, and vitreous chamber depth were 19.75 ± 1.59 mm, 4.66 ± 0.86 mm, and 7.92 ± 0.86 mm, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Correlations were detected between age and breed and between age and refractive states of feline eyes. Mean refractive error changed significantly as a function of age, and kittens had greater negative refractive error than did adult cats. Domestic shorthair cats were significantly more likely to be myopic than were domestic mediumhair or domestic longhair cats. Domestic cats should be included in the animals in which myopia can be detected at a young age, with a likelihood of progression to emmetropia as cats mature.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22280390/