CHAPTER 143 Enucleation
Horses frequently develop serious ocular diseases that result in loss of function of the eye and chronic pain. Effects of injury or inflammation on the equine eye can be catastrophic. In addition to blindness, chronic equine ocular diseases can lead to permanent cosmetic defects. The cosmetic appearance of the eye, although not important to the horse, can be of serious concern to many owners. Enucleation has been the conventional treatment for these conditions and is indicated in horses with irreparable trauma, intraocular neoplasia, glaucoma causing blindness and pain, panophthalmitis, and intractable uveitis.