What does progressive retinal atrophy (PRA-b) lead to in affected cats?

Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA-b) is a genetic disorder that primarily affects the photoreceptor cells in the retina. In affected cats, this degeneration of the retina leads to a gradual loss of vision, eventually resulting in complete blindness. The disease typically begins with a loss of night vision and progresses to daytime vision impairment before culminating in total blindness as the retinal cells continue to degenerate.

While altered color perception, cataracts, and distortion of visual fields can affect other eye conditions, they are not characteristic outcomes of PRA-b. This condition specifically involves the gradual breakdown of retinal integrity, leading inevitably to loss of sight, making complete blindness the correct understanding of its ultimate impact on affected cats.