I believe one of my Feral Cats has "Blind Quiet Eye" in both eyes. Does anyone here have experience with it?

[supermax1943]

One of my feral cats, Snicker, suddenly went blind and from what I could find out online it seems as if it something called "Blind Quiet Eye". Snicker got this suddenly. I had seen him a couple of days ago and didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, although it was at feeding time and there were many feral cats around him. Then last night he was inside on a piece of furniture just crying his little heart out. I thought it was really strange and when I tried to pick him up he clung to the towel with all his mite. I carried him to the feeding room and he immediately went outside. He pooped and peed in a strange place and I decided the whole change must have been because the skunks are in heat.

But this morning he was sitting outside in a place I hadn't seen him before and was crying again. I thought he was having difficulty seeing and when I checked his eyes they were just large dark round balls. I immediately checked on the computer and found the description of the Blind Quiet Eye.
From my research, it seems as if the diagnosis is a long very expensive process which I certainly can't afford since I have lost my job and am still looking for one. Even if I could afford the tests, the research suggested that most of the time there is nothing that can be done.

I just wondered if anyone on this site has any experience with this problem, or knows anything about it. I already have one blind cat so care of this one will just be a duplicate of the other one. However, the other cat was blind at a very young age and doesn't know anything other than being blind. This cat, however, is about 9 years old so the change will be very hard on him I think. He has known nothing but living outdoors and being around the other outside feral cats. I am so sad for him tonight.

 

[white shadow]

.
Well, there are two immediate issues, as I see it......

1. that you ensure his safety by keeping him inside and as stress-free as possible
2. that he is examined by a Veterinarian at the earliest opportunity

There are a number of possible causes for sudden blindness in cats, at least one of which, if treated very quickly, can result in the return of vision.

Keep in mind that the vision loss may be just one symptom of a larger underlying problem.

I'd say your priority for him should be to have him seen asap.

In your efforts with these feral cats, do you collaborate with any organizations or are you all by yourself?
.

 

[supermax1943]

All by myself for 25 years and yes to Vet ASAP.

 

[Kieka]

Rocket had one pupil blown out a few months back. Very scary to see one pupil reacting normally and the other frozen in place. We saw a vet immediately and they did blood work, xrays and eye drops to check for damage. About three days later the eye returned to normal on it's own. We had a follow up with a neurologist to be sure but it appears she hit her head hard enough to cause damage in the eye. This basically caused a temporary blood clot that blocked light from getting through and the eye to remain dilate until the blood reabsorbed.

Rockets case was highly unusual and had the vets scratching their head. But it is an example that you shouldn't panic until everything has been checked. Here was Rocket after about 36 hours for context.

In your case, I would confine your cat to a small familiar room or area so he doesn't get lost. Hopefully the vet can give you good news and he will recover. From my experience, there were a huge number of causes for sudden blindness that require a lot of testing to rule out (I am just paying off that bill this week actually, but worth it IMO).