Equine Eyes
byNaomi de Pennington MA VetMB CertEM (IntMed) MRCVS RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Equine Internal Medicine
he eye of the horse is a very prominent feature and as such is prone to direct injury, whether that be blunt trauma or lacerations of the eyelids or cornea (surface of the eye). In such cases, the horse will oſten present with a very painful, closed eye, with swollen lids and a variable amount of discharge. In all such cases, it is essential that the horse is examined promptly by your veterinary surgeon in order to assess the severity of the injury and institute the appropriate treatment. Systemic anti-inflammatories, local anaesthetics and sedative agents can then be used in order to improve the horse’s comfort to allow detailed examination of the painful eye.
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Wounds affecting the eyelid margin should always be surgically repaired by a veterinary surgeon as soon as possible aſter the injury, to minimise scarring which could affect the function of the eyelid and lead to long term complications. This can usually be performed under standing sedation and local anaesthetic.
Injury to the surface of the eye, the cornea, oſten results in the formation of an ulcer. Damage to the cornea is assessed by applying drops of fluorescein dye which stains bright green any defects in the otherwise smooth surface. Superficial corneal ulcers usually heal rapidly within a few days providing they do not become infected. They therefore need to be treated with topical antibiotic drops or ointments and sometimes additional drops, to minimize the risk of complications. If infection becomes established in an area of damaged cornea, it can develop into a much more severe ‘melting’ ulcer. In these cases, the ulcer rapidly enlarges in size and depth. There is then a risk of corneal rupture, which would ultimately lead to loss of the eye. Samples taken from the ulcer can indicate the nature of the infection, which may be bacterial or fungal, to guide treatment choice. Treatment in the form of topical drops oſten needs to be applied extremely frequently, such that a sub-palpebral lavage system would usually be placed. This is a piece of soſt silicone tubing which is fitted through the lower lid under local anaesthesia and plaited into the
16 February/March 2020
mane along the neck. Drops can then be injected at a distance from the eye via the tubing, so that the horse can be medicated very easily with minimal stress and no risk of causing additional trauma to the eye. Using this method, we will oſten medicate horses with severe ulceration on an hourly schedule. Infusion pumps can also be attached to the lavage systems to give a constant infusion of drops into the eye if necessary. In cases where the risk of rupture is considered very significant, surgery to remove the infected tissue and provide a graſt to support the damaged area may be warranted.
Equine recurrent uveitis, also known as ‘periodic ophthalmia’ and ‘moon blindness’ is a severe, and sight-threatening condition unique to the horse. Symptoms vary from mild to very severe, although the condition recurs or becomes
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