Cat eyes and flash light

[Uniqueviking]

A week ago my Beans got serious runny and red eyes and I of course had the vet look at it (and started treatment with Kloramfenikol) Boomer had just had an eye infection so it seemed plausible she'd gotten it from him, but now...I'm not sure

I've recently gotten into photography and bought a really nice digital camera, and I've of course taken tons of pictures of my 4 furbabies as well (but not every day).

...and here's the problem: Beans's eyes healed very well, but a couple of hours after I had taken a few photos of her yesterday (with flash light) it all started again. Her eyes got very runny again (mainly the left one) and seemed sore; she kept it half closed all the time
I started back up with the Kloramfenikol treatment and her eye seems better today.

Now that I think about it Boomer, Beddy Bear and Bownie have started turning they heads or closing their eyes when I try and take their picture.

Does anybody here have any experience and/or knowledge about cat's eyes and flash light - if it's damaging in any way?

Any help appreciated, thank you!

[BastetsMum]

You may wonder why I don't take at lot of photos of Bastet. She sustained viral damage to the tear ducts of her eyes from having cat flu when she was only 4 months old. Her eyes go exactly like that if I use the flash on the camera. I asked the vet and he said its because they have to dilate their pupils quickly to stop all that light getting in. and may be causing the irritation on the tear ducts. I don't know much about cat's eyes but I can be guarenteed a vet visit if I take to many flash photos of her. Your beautiful furbaby may be like Bastet - any kind of light irritation may cause some kind of imflamation - I don't know I am not a professional.

[jenluckenbach]

WOW, I sure hope flash is not harmful to cats. I would feel terrible. But maybe it is possible that CERTAIN cats are sensitive to it. Therefore, if you think there is a connection then you should refrain from taking pictures (like Bastet's mum).
I have never seen a problem in my own cats, but I repeat, it is entirely possible that SOME cats will react to it. Did you ask your vet?

[Uniqueviking]

BastetsMum, that's very interesting. I tend to think Beans is reacting the same way as your Bastet.

The thing is Beans is a rescue (I got her when she was around 10 mths. old) and I don't know anything about her at all 'til she moved in with me, but in the 2½ years I've had her, I have noticed she tends to get eye problems.

Yes, I called the vet immediately this morning, but talked to the vet nurse and she'd never encountered this problem before, but would look into it.

(I told her about this site and that I would make a post here. She's very interested in hearing what kinda of experiences you people here have had and asked me to "report" back to her )

[BastetsMum]

I think this kind of light sensitivity is really rare in cats Jen. I have noticed with Bastet that any kind of really bright light will set her eyes off. So I don't personally think that with *normal* cats (I am sure you understand what I mean about *normal* laughs) it wouldn't be a problem.

[cubby31682]

Well I can't be of much help here. Is it at all possible to cover up the flash on your camera? Some cameras will flash even when there is enough light. Try to cover up the flash once and see if it will work with out it. If it doesn't then you might have to stay away from Bean with that camera. My cat Cubby has never once had a problem with my camera, he just runs from the camera. He hates the noise my camera makes when I take pictures of him. So I try to limit my camera use on him. Other wise he gets grumpy and grunts at me until I stop. (I love it when he grunts. It's so cute.) Sorry I just had to add that.

Katie

[jazzcat]

Wow, this is so interesting because I can never get a good picture of Jazz because she always turns her head or closes her eyes as soon as she sees the camera and when I do get one of her often her eyes look like flashlights. When I adopted her as a kitten she had a very bad URI and very weepy eyes and then about three months later Ripley gave her the equivilant to a black eye, twice in one week. This may explain things.

[Uniqueviking]

Sure, I can just turn the flash off, no problem...and/or retire Beans the Princess from her modelling career. Kinda sad though, coz she really likes to pose, lol (she also loves it when she gets a new collar...it's like jewelry to her)