Cat Eye inflammation and redness

Dear Dr. Liz Buchanan, I trust this message finds you in good health. You have been my trusted veterinary advisor since the past year, and for that, I am immensely grateful. I am writing to seek your expert advice concerning a worrisome situation involving my male Persian cat, who is approximately 5 years old. Last month, he developed inflamed red eyes, and I had several hypotheses, suspecting that it could have been a result of minor injuries during play or potentially due to flea-related issues. Notably, my second cat had a routine checkup at the vet a week prior to my first cat’s eye issue coming to my attention. During her visit, she unfortunately picked up fleas from the clinic environment, as there were cats undergoing flea treatment, despite our best efforts to prevent it. Now, turning to my first cat with the eye issue, after my observations last month, I sought veterinary care, and the attending veterinarian prescribed Moxifloxacin and Prednisolone Acetate Ophthalmic Suspension (OPTHOCARE-PD) for him. Additionally, an injection was administered to address irritation and inflammation, though I regrettably do not have the name of this injection. Today, after a month, my cat’s eye irritation and inflammation appear to have resurfaced. Both of my cats are currently undergoing spot-on treatment for fleas, and I have administered last month’s spot-on dose as directed. I suspect the fleas might be causing him irritation around the eyes, as he appears to be scratching his head and neck. I find myself at a crossroads, uncertain about whether I should repurchase and administer the same drops to my cat. The eye condition looks similar to what we encountered last month, leaving me unsure about the best course of action. Your professional advice and guidance would be truly valuable in this regard. I appreciate your time and assistance in helping me navigate this situation.

Hello and what an absolutely lovely message to read, although I will always be first to remind you that your main port of call relating to a particular problem in a particular animal must always be the cats' own vet, who is in a position to gather much more information than I can relating to any particular scenario in front of them and thereby provide much more appropriate answers for a specific real scenario.  I give out generalised information only.   That said.....

Occular problems should nearly always be triaged as emergencies, because it is so common that rapid action can save an animals' sight, and also because - althoufh one case of red-eye will get better with drops- another case of red-eye, which sounds just like it over phone, email or even looks like it visually, might include an increase in occular pressure or corneal ulcer and lead very quickly to blindness.  For this reason, I wouldn't reccommend using the same drops again but having the eye reassessed.  I know it isn't what you might have preferred to read, but it is absolutely the safest option.

I want to provide a quick update regarding my cat’s eye issue. I had to make a quick judgment and since we are currently out of town, I decided to use Opthocure KT (Ketorolac-Tromethamine) as an alternative to OPTHOCARE-PD (Moxifloxacin and Prednisolone). This decision was based on a previous prescription for my younger cat which was available with me, and I could easily obtain it at our current location. I will closely observe him, and as soon as I return home, I plan to have him checked by a veterinarian. I am concerned about the recurrence of the eye problem, both my cats engage in rough play, which might be a contributing factor, self-inflicted injury by scratching could also be it. I am hoping that Opthocure-KT will help resolve his eye issue. Your advice on whether to continue with this approach would be much appreciated. Thank you.

Hello - yes.  Because we do not know what is behind the symptoms in this patient's case, guessing a treatment may improve things but it may also delay getting the correct treatment or make things worse.  In particular, off-prescription use of antibiotics is against the law in the UK and for good reasons relating to resistance.  So, yes, for eyes and antibiotics we would reccommend an examination every time - before prescription drugs are given.