One eye has discharge

Hello,

Layla came to me at around three months old as a foster kitten and I decided to keep her after no one inquired about her. Since the day she arrived she's has one eye which is a little squinty and pink around the rim. She has clear discharge most days.

I've taken her to the vet a few times and she's had the dye treatment to look for ulcers, she's been given topical ointment and she's been given antibiotic tablets. Nothing clears it up. Some days it looks better than others - today is one of those days when she is squinting more and it looks more inflamed. At this point the vet has told me he doesn't suspect it's anything causing her pain or that can be treated. 

I would hate it if the vet is wrong and she is actually in pain or if it's something that could be easily fixed. She eats, plays like normal and none of my other cats have caught it. Does anyone have any idea on what it could be and if i should be advocating for her at a different vet?

Thank you!

I would get a second opinion from a different vet. Probably request the dye to check for damage and bring the copies of records so the second vet knows what you have tried. Not to knock your vet any but some vets have areas they are stronger in and it might be that your vet isn't as well versed in eye issues. I know near me we have a huge (talking 2 story with probably 20-30 vets) vet hospital and you can ask to see a vet who specializes or focuses on whatever issue you want. 

I kinda wonder if the possibility of a blocked tear duct or tear duct deformity has come up. I don't know what kind of treatment would really help though. I haven't had it occur in one of my cats but my Dad has a deformed tear duct but it is a minor deformity with medication to help with flares. The other thought would be feline herpes but you don't mention any other symptoms. I know early on one vet thought Link might have feline herpes because he got two eye infections back to back (Link has blue eyes so the redness made them look purple, it was really freaky). That vet told me there wasn't much we could do if he did other than treat symptoms. But Link's eyes finally cleared up and it hasn't been mentioned again.

I think that whatever the cause it probably is annoying for her. Cats are pretty good at ignoring/hiding pain but some things do show through when it is really bad. If she isn't licking bald patches or anything like that she probably isn't in a huge amount of pain. And if it has been going on since she was little she probably doesn't know much different at this point. I'd probably look for a second opinion and mention the possibility of herpes or tear duct issues if it hasn't been brought up before. If nothing comes of it then at least you know you tried everything you could. 

Thank you. I will get a second opinion for her. Her eye is looking very bad today - she can barely open it. I don't want to leave her like this if she is in pain or if there is a solution. I was thinking blocked tear duct too but her eye becomes quite pink which I don't think is a symptom of a blocked duct.

I feel terrible whenever I see her eye - even if a second opinion is the same I will feel better for having tried harder to sort this out for her. My poor sweet girl

It's possible it's pink eye or feline herpes virus.

If it's herpes there's not much you can do but let nature run its course.

Keep her indoors and away from other cats. Herpes is highly contagious and once a cat is infected they become a carrier for life.