Cat Eye Surgery: Cost and Types

If you have a feline in your family, you may know just how expressive a cat’s eyes can be. Unfortunately, they can also be vulnerable to disease and injury. In some cases, your kitty might need cat eye surgery. Costs can vary depending on the type of surgery required. A cherry eye surgery could cost $300 – $1,000, while a cataract surgery may cost $3,500 or more.¹

Keep reading to learn about the specific kinds of cat eye surgeries, how much they could cost, and how cat insurance could help you cover costs.

Signs Your Cat May Need Eye Surgery

Identifying your cat’s eye issues is the first step to treating them. There are a number of reasons your cat might need eye surgery, but not all of them may be obvious. Signs of eye problems in your cat can include:¹

• Cloudy eyes
• Eye discharge or weeping
• Rapid/frequent blinking
• Prominent nictitating membrane (a third eyelid, typically not visible in healthy eyes)
• Dilated pupils
• Redness or swelling around the eyes
• Lumps or masses in or around the eyes

Any of these symptoms could be a good reason to take your cat for a vet visit. There, your cat’s medical expert can run tests to diagnose the eye condition and create a treatment plan.

Cherry Eye

Cherry eye refers to a prolapse of what’s called the nictitating membrane. This third eyelid, located in the inner corner of the eye, protects your cat’s eye and helps produce tears to keep it lubricated. It usually isn’t visible, but the tear gland may come out of its normal place and swell, potentially exposing it to a painful infection. In some cases, your cat may need surgery to fix the cherry eye.^1,2

Cherry eye surgery cost

Depending on the severity, surgery for cherry eye can range from $300 – $500 for one eye.^1,2 A surgical fix involves using stitches to put the nictitating membrane back into place. Your cat might need a cone or collar during recovery to protect their eye, as well as medication, which could add to the overall cost.¹

Cataracts

When a cat develops a cataract, the eye lens becomes cloudy, obscuring your cat’s vision. The level of obscurity depends on the severity of the cataract. But in some cases, their vision is significantly impacted. Eye inflammation is the most common cause of cataracts in cats. Your cat could also develop cataracts from an eye-related injury, genetic disorder, previous eye surgery, nutritional imbalances, or diabetes.³

Cataract surgery cost

Cataracts can form in one or both of your cat’s eyes. Cataract removal for just one eye may cost $2,000 – $2,500, or $3,000 – $3,500 for both eyes.¹ Surgery can involve removing the lens and replacing it with a prosthetic one. During the following months, you may need to apply a topical medication to help your kitty recover.¹

Entropion or Ectropion Eyelid

Sometimes, your cat’s eyelids can become inverted. Entropion eyelids have rolled inward, while ectropion eyelids have rolled outward.⁴ Either condition can cause painful irritation and expose your cat’s eyes to infection. Certain breeds — such as Persian and Burmese cats — are more vulnerable to entropion eyelids because they’re brachycephalic breeds. This means they have short snouts and shallow eye sockets, which give them a smush-faced appearance.^1,5

Entropion/ectropion eyelid surgery cost

Depending on the severity, fixing your cat’s eyelids could cost anywhere from $500 – $2,000.¹ Surgical entropion correction involves a small incision near the eyelid, allowing it to naturally fall back into place. Ectropion surgery is a bit more involved, shortening your cat’s eyelid to prevent future issues.¹

Eyelid Tumors

Cats, like dogs, can develop eyelid tumors. In addition to the dangers of cancer, eyelid tumors can also cause infection or permanent damage by rubbing against the eye. One common type of cat eyelid tumor comes from skin cancer. Older white cats are more likely to develop skin cancer, especially if they spend time outside.¹

Eyelid tumor surgery cost

A veterinary surgeon will want to remove all traces of the eyelid tumor, a procedure that can cost $500 – $600.¹ Then, they’ll restructure and stitch the eyelid to ensure it’s still functional. If cancer caused the tumor, your cat might need additional treatment, like chemotherapy. Depending on the type of treatment, you could spend between $150 and $600 per dose on chemotherapy.⁶

Cat Eye Removal

Surgically removing one of your cat’s eyes is a scary prospect, but sometimes, it may be the best option for your kitty’s health. Your vet may recommend eye removal — also called enucleation — if your cat suffers from conditions like glaucoma, proptosis, or cancer, which can cause ongoing pain and further endanger your cat.^1,7 Serious eye trauma and infection can also be reasons for enucleation.⁷

Cat eye removal surgery cost

Cat eye removal surgery may cost about $1,000 – $2,000.¹ If the surgery is fairly routine, with no complications, the cost will likely be on the lower end. A more complicated surgery, especially if both eyes need to be removed, will probably be more expensive.⁷

MetLife Pet Insurance Can Help With Cat Eye Surgery Costs

With a cat insurance policy, you may be able to get reimbursement for covered cat eye surgery costs, and MetLife Pet Insurance offers reimbursement rates of up to 90%.⁸ This can make it easier for you to focus on your kitty’s health.

A cat parent in New York noticed their British Blue kitten, Oscar, was having issues with his eyelid. The vet diagnosed Oscar with an entropion eyelid, and he had surgery to repair it. The total cost of the surgery and corresponding appointments was almost $3,200, but MetLife Pet covered over $2,500 of the bill.⁹

You may want to consider enrolling in a cat insurance policy as early as possible to help ensure future conditions are covered. Get a free quote to see how much you could save.