Chloe
ALL BIRDS, FISH,- & RODENTS MUST- DIE! | 
 | | Purred: Mon May 1, '06 2:23am PST |  | |  | | The most common cause of sudden blindness in older cats is probably
hypertension (high blood pressure), usually associated with
hyperthyroidism, kidney disease, diabetes or some other systemic illness.
Optic neuritis does occur independently of hypertension. In addition,
glaucoma can cause blindness that seems to have a sudden onset, even though
it has quietly been causing damage for some time. This is actually one of
the causes of optic neuritis. Cats do not get glaucoma as often as dogs do,
but it is something else to consider.
Many vets (including us) do not have an in-clinic method of measuring blood
pressure. In that situation, I think that it is reasonable to use
medications to control blood pressure on the presumption that it might be
the problem, until it is clear that it is, or is not, part of the problem.
We use amlodipine (Norvasc Rx), usually 1/4 of a 2.5mg tablet once a day. |  |  | |  |
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