Uveitis
Learn what the condition is, how it may be detected early, how it is treated or managed, and which breeds or species are linked to it.
Condition snapshot
A concise guide to the condition’s pattern, detection, management and urgency.
This snapshot is a general guide, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. New, severe or worsening signs require veterinary assessment.
About the condition
Uveitis is inflammation of the vascular middle layers of the eye, including the iris, ciliary body and choroid. It is painful and can threaten vision because inflammation disrupts the normally clear internal structures and can lead to cataract, glaucoma, retinal damage or adhesions within the eye.
Affected cats may squint, avoid light, have a red eye or develop cloudiness inside the eye. The pupil can become small or irregular, and the iris may change colour. Some cases involve one eye, while systemic diseases often affect both.
Uveitis is not one diagnosis with one cause. Feline infectious peritonitis, toxoplasmosis, FeLV, FIV, fungal disease, trauma, lens disease and cancer are among the possibilities. In many cats, however, no definitive systemic cause is identified after investigation. This is termed idiopathic uveitis.
Intraocular pressure is often low during active inflammation, although secondary glaucoma can develop later.
The wrong medication can be harmful in some circumstances. The goal is to preserve a clear, comfortable eye while treating the underlying disease whenever one can be identified.
The eye can also provide the first visible clue to a disease elsewhere in the body. A cat presented for a changed pupil or cloudy eye may ultimately be diagnosed with infection, lymphoma or systemic inflammation.
Squinting, light sensitivity, a red eye, a changed pupil and an apparent colour change within the eye can be early signs of uveal inflammation. Uveitis can be less externally dramatic than conjunctivitis while causing much more serious internal damage. Low pressure, protein or cells within the anterior chamber and an abnormally constricted pupil support the diagnosis. Cats with known systemic diseases associated with uveitis may need targeted ocular checks. Delay increases the risk of cataract, glaucoma, retinal detachment and permanent vision loss.
Screening & Early Detection
The veterinary examination includes slit-lamp assessment, fluorescein staining and measurement of intraocular pressure. The retina is examined after dilation when safe.
Further testing is guided by the whole cat rather than a fixed panel. Blood counts, chemistry, FeLV/FIV testing, toxoplasma serology and tests for fungal or other infectious disease may be appropriate depending on geography and exposure. Imaging is used when cancer or systemic inflammatory disease is suspected.
There is no useful routine screening test for symptom-free cats. Early detection is based on eye examination.
Diagnosis is made by detailed ocular examination. Slit-lamp examination identifies cells, protein and changes in the iris. Blood tests, infectious-disease testing and imaging are chosen according to age, exposure and whether signs suggest systemic illness. Because treatment may need to start before every test result is available, the veterinarian balances rapid control of damaging inflammation with investigation for infection. This is why persistent uveitis often triggers a broader medical work-up rather than remaining an isolated ophthalmic diagnosis.
Treatment & Management
Treatment aims to suppress damaging intraocular inflammation and control pain while addressing the cause. Topical corticosteroids are commonly used when the cornea is intact and infection does not make them unsafe. Other anti-inflammatory medication may be selected when steroids are contraindicated.
Medication that dilates the pupil, such as atropine, can reduce painful ciliary spasm and help prevent adhesions in selected cases. Intraocular pressure is monitored because treatment can change as pressure rises or falls. If an infectious disease such as toxoplasmosis is identified, specific antimicrobial therapy is added.
Systemic disease is treated at the same time. FIP, fungal infection, lymphoma and trauma each require very different plans, so persistent uveitis should not be managed with eye drops alone without appropriate investigation.
Frequent rechecks are often needed initially because the eye can change quickly. Medication is tapered according to response rather than stopped abruptly when redness improves. A blind eye that remains chronically painful despite treatment may eventually require surgery for comfort. When inflammation is controlled early, useful vision can often be preserved.
Cats receiving prolonged topical or systemic corticosteroids may need monitoring for treatment complications and recurrence as medication is tapered.
Breeds or species affected
Abyssinian
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American Bobtail
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American Curl
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American Shorthair
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American Wirehair
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Arabian Mau
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Aegean
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Australian Mist
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Balinese
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Bengal
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Birman
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Bombay
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British Longhair
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British Shorthair
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Burmese
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Burmilla
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Chartreux
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Chausie
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Colorpoint Shorthair
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Cornish Rex
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Cymric
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Devon Rex
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Domestic Longhair
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Domestic Medium Hair
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Domestic Shorthair
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Donskoy
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Egyptian Mau
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European Shorthair
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Exotic Shorthair
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Havana Brown
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Highlander
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Himalayan
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Japanese Bobtail
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Khao Manee
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Korat
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Kurilian Bobtail
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LaPerm
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Lykoi
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Maine Coon
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Manx
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Minuet
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Minskin
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Munchkin
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Nebelung
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Norwegian Forest Cat
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Ocicat
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Oriental Longhair
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Oriental Shorthair
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Persian
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Peterbald
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Pixiebob
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RagaMuffin
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Ragdoll
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Russian Blue
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Savannah
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Scottish Fold
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Scottish Straight
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Selkirk Rex
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Siamese
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Siberian
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Singapura
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Snowshoe
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Somali
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Sphynx
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Thai
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Tonkinese
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Toybob
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Toyger
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Turkish Angora
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Turkish Van
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Bambino
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Cheetoh
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Dwelf
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Elf Cat
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Genetta
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Kinkalow
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Lambkin
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Serengeti
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Skookum
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Ukrainian Levkoy
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