Page 1303 - Problem-Based Feline Medicine

63 – THE CAT WITH ABNORMAL IRIS APPEARANCE 1295

phagocytosis, antigen processing and presentation to
WHERE?
T cells.
Diseases which alter iris appearance can arise in and be
Immune-mediated responses to retinal or lens anti-
confined to the iris, they can result from disease
gens may be important in immune-mediated uveitis
processes involving other parts of the eye, or they can
where no infectious cause is identified.
be a localized manifestation of systemic disease.
Some neoplastic diseases, e.g. intra-ocular lym-
phosarcoma can look very inflammatory, whereas
others (e.g. diffuse iris melanoma) tend to cause gross WHAT?
pigment changes without necessarily causing an
inflammatory response until the disease becomes very Most diseases which alter iris appearance are
advanced. inflammatory. Investigation of many cases of anterior
uveitis for a possible infectious cause may not identify
Changes which can be seen in association with an etiologic agent, and so many cases of uveitis in the
inflammation of the iris (anterior uveitis) include: cat are regarded as “idiopathic”. Most cases of idio-
● Generalized reddening (hyperemia) and thicken- pathic uveitis probably involve an autoimmune response
ing of the iris. to an unidentified endogenous antigen.
● Frank hemorrhage from the iris surface.
● Fibrinous exudation resulting in cream to red- Severe inflammation in a young cat is more likely to
colored solid opacities in the anterior chamber, or have an infectious etiology and feline infectious peri-
over the surface of the iris. tonitis (FIP) should be considered as one of the more
● Miosis. likely possibilities.
● Grayish nodules on the iris surface which repre- A change in pigmentation in an older cat is more likely
sent localized aggregations of lymphoid cells. to be due to neoplasia.
● Gray to tan, dot-like, or sometimes coalescing
opacities on the endothelial surface of the cornea Iris atrophy secondary to degenerative changes is
(called keratic precipitates). a common incidental finding in may old cats.
● Cloudiness of the aqueous fluid (called aqueous Congenital abnormalities such as persistent pupil-
flare). lary membranes or iris colobomas are seen far less
● Deposits of pigment or inflammatory cell debris on commonly.
the anterior lens capsule. Adhesions of the pupil
margin to the lens may occur (called posterior
synechiae). If synechia are extensive, there may be DISEASES CAUSING ABNORMAL IRIS
anterior bowing of the iris (called iris bombé) and APPEARANCE
a shallow anterior chamber.
● Anterior cortical cataract.
FELINE INFECTIOUS PERITONITIS
● Iris cysts, either attached to the pupillary margin or
VIRUS***
free floating in the anterior chamber.
● Anterior vitreous opacity due to inflammation of
Classical signs
the pars plana of the ciliary body (“pars planitis”).
This change is especially associated with feline ● Severe anterior fibrinous uveitis, usually
immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection. bilateral, in a young cat.
● Corneal vascularization. ● Other signs of FIP such as anorexia, weight
● Engorgement of the deep episcleral vessels. loss, pyrexia, abdominal or chest effusions,
● Lens subluxation or luxation. This is usually due multifocal neurological disease.
to inflammatory destruction of ciliary zonules, but
may result from secondary glaucoma, which causes See main references on page 372 for details (The
globe enlargement and zonule stretching. Pyrexic Cat).