Medical Update on Nennee's Eyes

Recently, Joa’s Arc and Nenne were lucky enough to meet up with Dr. Andras M. Komaromy from the Department of Clinical Studies at University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine! After some conversation, lots of lights shined in Nennee’s eyes (she even got the dye put in her eyes that glows!) and not too many battle wounds from an upset Nennee, we got some answers on her eyes ... then Nennee tried to climb into Dr. Komaromy’s bag! Don't worry, Joa’s Arc got her back!

Here’s a general run down of what Joa’s Arc found out about Nennee’s eyes thanks to Dr. Komaromy. She was diagnosed with:

- Mild eyelid agenesis (both eyes). This is a congenital absence of all or part of the eyelid. Most commonly, the side part of the upper eyelid is thin or may be lacking with varying degrees of severity. This may result in an inability to close the eyelids (lagophthalmos), which is discussed later.

- Microphthalmia with secondary entropion (right eye). Microphthalmia (or microphthalmos) is a congenital deformation resulting in abnormally small eyes. Entropion is a medical condition in which the eyelid (usually the lower lid) folds inward to the eye. It is very uncomfortable, as the eyelashes rub against the cornea constantly.

- Persistent pupillary membranes, also known as PPMs (left eye). This is a condition of the eye involving remnants of a fetal membrane that remains as strands of tissue crossing the pupil. The pupillary membrane in mammals exists in the fetus as a source of blood supply for the lens, but it normally atrophies (waste aways) from the time of birth to the age of 4 - 8 weeks. PPM occurs when this atrophy is incomplete. It generally does not cause any symptoms aside from the strands connecting to the cornea or lens, but most commonly to other parts of the iris. Attachment to the cornea can cause small corneal opacities, while attachment to the lens can cause small cataracts.

- Cataracts (both eyes)

- Suspected anterior lens luxation (right eye). Lens luxation is a displacement of the lens from its normal position.

- Coloboma of the fundus (left eye). Coloboma (also part of the rare Cat eye syndrome) is a hole in one of the structures of the eye, such as the eyelid, iris, retina, choroid or optic disc. The hole is present from birth and can be caused when a gap called the choroid fissure between two structures in the eye, which is present early in development in the uterus, fails to close up completely before birth. The classical description in medical literature is of a key-hole shaped defect.


There are some big words in there that I tried to break down a bit. Hope this gives you a better idea on everything poor Nennee is going through – lots of eye defects! Dr. Komaromy told Joa’s Arc that if Nennee were a person, she’d be legally blind! Oh, and the “quick fix” of maybe just removing her damaged, irritating eye if necessary (instead of repeated surgeries to her eyelids) – also not possible. The one eye she is more blind in has her less irritating eyelid deformities and her other eyelid is more irritating, but she sees better out of that eye. Poor girl!

Thanks a million to Dr. Komaromy for being nice enough to come out, meet us and give Joa’s Arc some conclusive answers finally about Nennee. Your kindness and insight (no pun intended, Nen) are invaluable, Dr. Komaromy! Tweet This