Feline Corneal Disease

The cornea is naturally transparent. Anything that interferes with the cornea's stromal architecture, contributes to blood vessel migration, increases corneal pigmentation, or predisposes to corneal edema, disrupts the corneas transparency and indicates corneal disease. The color, location, and shape and pattern of a corneal lesion can help in determining the underlying cause for the disease. Corneal disease is typically divided into congenital or acquired disorders. Congenital disorders, such as corneal dermoids are rare in cats, whereas acquired corneal disease associated with nonulcerative or ulcerative keratitis is common. Primary ocular disease, such as tear film instability, adenexal disease (medial canthal entropion, lagophthalmus, eyelid agenesis), and herpes keratitis are associated with the majority of acquired corneal disease in cats. Proliferative/eosinophilic keratitis, acute bullous keratopathy, and Florida keratopathy are common feline nonulcerative disorders. Nonprogressive ulcerative disease in cats, such as chronic corneal epithelial defects and corneal sequestration are more common than progressive corneal ulcerations.