Page 1275 - Problem-Based Feline Medicine

61 – THE CAT WITH A CLOUDY EYE 1267

Clinical signs Classical signs—Cont’d

FeLV may cause ocular lymphosarcoma, which ● Cloudy anterior chamber filled with white
appears as discrete iris or ciliary body masses, usu- blood cells and protein.
ally bilateral, which may cause gross distortion of the ● Varying degrees of hyphema.
iris structure.
FeLV more commonly presents as a uveitis, with See the main reference on pages 1184, 1297 for details
changes to iris appearance, and abnormal pupil size and (The Blind Cat or Cat With Retinal Disease, The Cat
shape. The anterior chamber may contain fibrin With Abnormal Iris Appearance).
and/or blood. Anterior uveitis may occur in the
absence of discernible intra-ocular neoplasia.
Some cats develop spastic pupil syndrome, which pres- Clinical signs
ents as otherwise unexplainable intermittent asymmetric
changes in pupil size, shape or response. For more Most cases present as anterior uveitis with corneal
detail see page 1300 (The Cat With Abnormal Iris edema and a cloudy aqueous, and have some form of
Appearance). swelling seen in the iris, which may cause distortion of
the pupil (dyscoria).
It is possible to see retinal detachment when the neo-
plastic process involves the choroid. Various tumors occur in the eye. They may arise from
the iris such as melanoma, lymphosarcoma, sarcoma
There may be other signs of FeLV-associated disease, and ciliary body tumors or arise from the retina
e.g. anemia or multicentric lymphosarcoma. including lymphosarcoma and adenocarcinoma
from lung, uterus and undetermined origin.
Diagnosis Lymphosarcoma is the most common ocular neoplasm,
Diagnosis is based on the clinical signs observed in and may be FeLV-associated, although more commonly
the eye, in association with other signs suggestive of does not appear to be associated with FeLV.
FeLV, e.g. multicentric lymphoma, FeLV-associated Lymphosarcoma often presents as bilateral iris
anemia. swelling, and anterior chamber hypopyon and/or hem-

Diagnosis is confirmed on clinical pathology, for orrhage in a young cat, with or without other signs sug-
example on cytology of lymph nodes or aqueous cente- gesting multicentric neoplasia.
sis samples, or occasionally on hematology. Signs of lymphosarcoma typically include:
A positive serological test using an antigen-based test ● The anterior chamber is cloudy from white blood
for FeLV is supportive evidence of the disease. For cells and proteins that have leaked from diseased
more detail see page 543 (The Anemic Cat). iris blood vessels.
● The iris may have red cells on the surface mixed
with protein and white blood cells caused by dis-
OCULAR NEOPLASIA*
ruption of the endothelial cells on the blood vessel
walls. Lymphosarcoma does not usually cause
Classical signs
frank hemorrhage. Varying degrees of hyphema are
● Diffuse pigmentary change across the present.
anterior iris surface, most often a pale ● The iris appears thickened with a pale fleshy color
fleshy change. change, and may be tinged with blood.
● Mass lesions bulging forward from the ● The pupil is distorted (dyscoria) if the iris is grossly
anterior iris stroma or distorting normal distorted with infiltrated cells.
pupil shape, or causing generalized iris ● Glaucoma is often an associated complication.
thickening. ● Corneal edema may be present.
● Regional lymph nodes may be increased in size.