Something pushing on the back of the eyeball causing it to bulge out, such as an abscess or a tumor. Swelling in the eyeball itself, such as with glaucoma. Swelling in the tissues surrounding the eyeball, such as in the eyelid.
Bring a cat with a traumatic injury to the vet as soon as possible to reduce the risk of vision loss and other complications. If the cat’s eyeball is out of the socket and hanging, then this is also an emergency requiring immediate veterinary treatment. You can soak a gauze swab in some saline solution and place it over the eye to help prevent it from desiccating. Take the cat to the vet immediately after that.
Do not attempt to remove larger objects that penetrate the eye or socket.
The cat’s medical history, if known. Whether the cat suffered a traumatic injury and if any foreign bodies are present. Foods it’s recently eaten. Whether the bulging eye developed suddenly or if you observed prior signs of infection. Its vaccinations, including whether it was vaccinated against feline herpesvirus (FHV).
You can also request dental x-rays. Your vet may x-ray the cat’s teeth roots to see if a tooth root abscess may be pushing the eye forward from behind.
The vet will also place stitches and stents at the surgical site. These will be removed in one to three weeks, depending on the scope of the injury. The vet may advise dental extractions to release an infection and let it drain out into your cat’s mouth, rather than pushing the eye forward.
In cases of injury, the vet will also prescribe anti-inflammatories and antibiotics, either in the form of eye drops or pills. Be sure to administer these as directed.
Glaucoma occurs when pressure builds up within the eye due to drainage issues. Injury and infection can cause these drainage issues, so you should take your cat for regular vet exams at least once a year after treating the bulging eye.
Do your best to reduce your cat’s stress level by giving it loving attention, letting it have its space, limiting encounters with other animals or small children, and keeping it indoors. Stress will lead to more frequent recurrences, or flare-ups, of the virus.
With its high cost and risks, the vet might unfortunately recommend euthanasia over cancer treatment. However, cancer treatment in small animals is a rapidly evolving field, so there might be a therapy or combination of therapies available to manage the tumor. [11] X Research source
