Eye or vision problems after Buprenorphine in cats

The FDA has received 249 reports of eye or vision problems in cats after Buprenorphine. That is 4.4% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 2.3% across reports for all cat medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

249Reports

52%Marked serious

24%Recovered

16%Died or euthanised

Same dayTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

120 55%

1–2 days

65 30%

3–7 days

14 6.4%

1–4 weeks

9 4.1%

Over a month

10 4.6%

How the animals did

Recovered

57 23%

Recovered with lasting effects

3 1.2%

Still unwell when reported

93 37%

Died

13 5.2%

Euthanised

28 11%

Not known

55 22%

Problems reported at the same time

Loss of appetite

75 30%

Behaviour change

66 27%

Restlessness or agitation

50 20%

49 20%

43 17%

43 17%

41 16%

41 16%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Buprenorphine pain relief (an opioid).

Questions owners ask

Can Buprenorphine cause eye or vision problems in cats?: 249 reports link the two, but a report alone does not prove the medicine was the cause: other illnesses, other medicines or coincidence can be involved. Your vet can judge it for your animal.
How soon after a dose was it reported?: In half of the reports with dates, it started within the same day of the first dose.
What should I do?: Don't give another dose until you've spoken to your vet, and keep the packaging so you can tell them the product and dose. Your vet can also report it to the FDA (or you can, through the manufacturer or FDA form 1932a).

Eye or vision problems with similar medicines

Eye or vision problems after Dexmedetomidine (Dexdomitor) 84 reports · 3.2% of its reports

All reported side effects of Buprenorphine in cats · Medicines most reported with eye or vision problems