Diseases of the Eye

Chapter 51 Diseases of the Eye


In general, any ocular disease can be considered an emergency. Some of these conditions can progress from seemingly minor in the morning to sight-threatening that afternoon. As a rule, if a horse has an eye problem, a veterinarian should be contacted as soon as possible. Signs of ocular disease include cloudy eyes, blepharospasm, photophobia, and discharge. If these signs are observed, the first action that should be taken is to bring the horse inside, out of the sunlight. A veterinarian should then be called.



ENTROPION


Entropion is a condition that involves the rolling inward of the horse’s eyelids and subsequent corneal irritation. Entropion can be either unilateral or bilateral. Entropion may be congenital or secondary to other conditions.




CLINICAL SIGNS



• Excessive tear production

• Blepharospasm

• Photophobia

• Examination shows inversion of eyelid

• Corneal ulcers may occur


DIAGNOSIS



• Visual examination of the eye

• A corneal stain should be performed to rule out corneal ulcers


TREATMENT



• Eye ointments

• Manual eversion with tissue glue

• Surgery



TECH ALERT


Advise clients to discard old eye medications when the treatment is finished. Old medications may become contaminated and their use may result in damage to the eye.



SARCOID


See Chapter 53 for detailed information about equine sarcoid.



SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA


See Chapter 53 for detailed information about squamous cell carcinoma in horses.



CONJUNCTIVITIS


Conjunctivitis, or inflammation of the conjunctiva, can be associated with a wide variety of disease processes. It is more commonly seen in the summer, during dry, dusty conditions, and when flies are present.




CLINICAL SIGNS



• Ocular discharge

• Pruritus

• Red, swollen conjunctiva

• May be associated with upper respiratory infections


TREATMENT



• Stain the eye to rule out corneal ulcers

Related posts:

  1. Hematologic and Immunologic Diseases
  2. Hematologic and Immunologic Diseases
  3. Diseases of the Cardiovascular System
  4. Diseases of the Musculoskeletal System

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Aug 31, 2016 | Posted by in GENERAL | Comments Off on Diseases of the Eye

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