# Big Problem - Lens Luxation with my Cat



## blair (Aug 25, 2009)

Hey everyone. 

My cat was recently diagnosed with a lens luxation in his left eye. It's a pretty serious condition and the usual treatment is the removal of said lens in the eye. My cat would never get full vision back in the eye, but he would potentially have some. If it is not operated on, he will go blind in that eye. 

The problem is two fold. One, the procedure is very expensive (along with follow up visits, etc). Second, and maybe more importantly, my cat is 12 years old. He's pretty advanced in age and I'm not sure if it's fair to subject him to such a serious surgery and recovery this late in life. Also, he just recuperated from a foot injury last November that cost me a fortune and was stressful for both kitty and I. 

The vet recommends the surgery, of course, but says that sometimes owners will elect to treat the cat medically without surgery. My cat will eventually go blind in his eye if surgery is not done, but he may be able to push forward pain free, etc. 

Would love your opinions. There is no definitive answer, but I'm torn. 

Lastly, I'm holding off the surgery until next Wed, if I decide to push forward. My vet said this is risky because damage could be done to the eye in that time, but I am treating him with drops and medicine prescribed to him and hoping for the best.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Melysion's Toby just had an eye removed a few weeks ago and is doing great. He's a little younger than your cat (maybe 8?) and by all reports has adjusted very well so far. Hopefully she'll see this and provide more details for you.

At 12 your cat potentially has several years ahead of him. IMO 12 is advanced in years but not what I would call really old (Maggie's sitting here saying "your darn tootin' I ain't really old!"....she's 12 too!). If he's in good health otherwise, I would go ahead with the surgery if you can swing the finances. I assume his current condition may be painful? If so, if you can't swing the surgery to fix the eye, maybe removing it is an option.


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## Muzby (Jan 9, 2008)

My opinion..

Sounds as though he MAY have SOME sight after the (very expensive) surgery, but it's not guarenteed, right? And if they left it and treated with meds, he'd still go blind?

Seems to me, I'd treat with meds. I only do a surgery if it's an emerg situation or a guarentee that the pet will be right as rain after (well, as close to a guarentee as possible).

So don't feel bad if you opt for just treatment and not surgery. I'd do the same.


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## melysion (Mar 12, 2007)

I suspect a lens luxation is precisely what happened to my Tobe. Only it was brought on rather suddenly ... woke up one morning to a very unwell looking pusscat with a completely clouded over eye that was obviously causing him considerable pain.

I was offered surgery to try and save his sight or have his eye taken out.

On the basis that trying to save his eye would have cost a minimum of £2000 with no guarantee of success verses about £500 with instant pain relief, Tobys eye was removed. When his removed eye was examined later, it was proved that any surgery to save his sight would have been fruitless - the damage was already beyond repair.

A few weeks later and Toby is doing very well. Back to his old self. The only problem I've observed is that sometimes he will overshoot when trying to jump on the back of the settee. He is 7 years old - so yep, younger than your boy, but cats to tend to have amazing healing powers (in my experience).

Here he is:










If you do decide on the surgery to try and save his sight, it is imperative that you do it sooner rather than later as the damage will just get worse the longer it goes on. But cats do manage in just one eye .. I don't think Toby has even noticed to be honest.

The story of what happened is here if you are interested ...

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=60421


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## blair (Aug 25, 2009)

thank you all for your responses. i was literally crying as i sat petting my cat last night. this situation has really been hard on me. i feel that neither decision is a clear choice right one. 

the situation is this: they recommend surgery because there is still vision in the eye with the lens luxation. with successful surgery, the cat is far sighted but no longer near sighted. his eye can adjust to this of course, but his vision in that eye is not the same as a normal eye. 

without surgery, the eye will for sure go blind. further complicating that is a need to have the eye monitored by a ophthalmologist moving forward to treat the eye according, check the pressure of the eye, etc. they do not offer removing the eye unless he is in great pain. i think removing the eye is half the price of the luxation surgery, so it's really a toss up and not a choice as of right now. 

i'm currently treating my cat's eye with medication right now and have a follow up with the vet early next week. the vet says luxation surgery may not even be an option come next week, but i decided to take that chance, treat with meds this week, and see how my cat is doing at the next appointment. my cat is 12 years old, and i'm not sure i'm comfortable having him go through an operation like a lensectomy. lastly, there is a 20 - 25% that the cat can also have complications post surgery like a retinal detachment, etc. 

i'll keep you updated on how it goes. please feel free to share your additional thoughts. it does me a world of good reading your insightful words. thanks again.

PS. - I should add that my ophthalmologist said that treating via a surgery or medical management are both 2 viable options. in the past, some owners have indeed decided to treat with meds only because of financial reasons or the age of the cat, etc. i should say i'm still not 100% comfortable treating my cat with meds only knowing there is a serious issue going on, but it's the very reason this situation is so difficult as his owner.


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