Congenital and Hereditary Ocular Abnormalities in Cats

Abstract

Congenital and inherited ocular diseases are reported less frequently in the cat than the dog. The 2 species also differ in their array of disorders, with familiar canine abnormalities like cataracts overshadowed by unique feline diseases such as eyelid agenesis and corneal sequestration. Organized according to the primary ocular structure affected and commingling congenital and inherited disorders in each section, the review begins with multiple ocular anomalies and their impact on globe-orbit relationship. Adnexal disorders include eyelid agenesis, entropion, dermoid, and nictitans gland protrusion. Corneal abnormalities range from the routine sequestrum and PPM-related opacity to those rare infiltrates accompanying inborn errors of metabolism. Brief descriptions of uveal anomalies, primary glaucoma, cataracts, and lens luxations follow. Retinal dysplasia and progressive retinal atrophy complete the summary. Suspicions of heritability are often based on small numbers of animals in sporadic reports of ocular disease, but the Persian, Burmese, and Siamese are among the breeds repeatedly linked with one or more of these disorders.