Equine Ophthalmic Exam & Orbital Diseases Flashcards
Horses are prey animals, what characteristics of their eyes support this?
- prominent globes that are laterally positioned and high on their head
- horizontal elliptical pupil
- granulae iridica/corpora nigra
- visual field = 350 degrees
what are the 2 blindspots of the horse?
below nose and forehead and behind the tail.
In what order should you do your initial ophthalmic exam?
- examine from afar (look at symmetry, orbit, eyelash position, pupil size, and any epiphora)
- examine in the stall/roundpen, etc. (eval vision and behavior)
- examine up-close with restraint, sedation, +/- local block
What do the following observations usually indicate?
- Eyelashes point downward
- Eyelashes point upward
- Eyelashes point downward = enophthalmos
- Eyelashes point upward = exophthalmos
normal eyelash position is perpendicular to cornea (straight out)
T/F: you should perform your cranial nerve evaluation after sedating the horse in order to get accurate results
false – perform this exam BEFORE any sedation.
T/F: Indirect PLRs in horses are less prominent because decussation at the chiasm is only 85%
true
Which muscle of the eye is really strong in horses and makes it necessary for us to place a local block to achieve a thorough ocular examination?
orbicularis oculi muscle
Which local block blocks motor of the orbicularis oculi muscle (mostly the upper eyelid)?
auriculopalpebral block
which local block blocks sensory input to the central-upper eyelid?
supraorbital or frontal block
What nerve is blocked with the auriculopalpebral block?
palpebral branch of the auricular palpebral nerve (which is a branch of the facial nerve)
what needle size and amount of local block is used for both the auriculopalpebral and supraorbital/frontal blocks?
25g needle
1 mL of lido/bupiva/mepiv
lasts for 1-2 hours
The landmarks described below are for which local block?
- caudal to the posterior ramus of the mandible
- dorsal to the highest point of the zygomatic arch
- on the zygomatic arch caudal to the bony process of the frontal bone
auriculopalpebral block
Which nerve is blocked by the supraorbital or frontal block?
ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve
this blocks sensation to the central upper eyelid.
Which of the following blocks is described by the landmarks below?
- place thumb below dorsal orbital rim
- place middle finger in supraorbital fossa
- place index finger straight down (midway between thumb and middle finger) to locate the supraorbital foramen
supraorbital or frontal block
T/F: tear deficiencies are a common cause of KCS in horses
false – tear deficiencies are rare in horses.
Tear production tests are rarely done for this reason and are indicated only for CN V or VII dysfunction.
Normal STT in horses is <20 mm/min
What is normal intraocular pressure for horses?
15-30 mmHg
which intraocular pressure measurement tool requires the use of topical anesthetic?
applanation tonometry (Tonopen)
What does the Jones test evaluate?
nasolacrimal duct patency
What are the indications to sedate a horse and perform irrigation of the nasolacrimal duct?
- epiphora
- mucoid ocular discharge
- nasal puncta discharge
If you were performing retrograde irrigation of the NLD in a horse, what size catheter would you use and hose much sterile eyewash would you infuse?
5 or 6 polyethylene urinary catheter
12-20 mL sterile eyewash
T/F: a grey line at the edge of a horses iris is considered an abnormality and can indicate iris atresia
false – this is a normal finding in horses and is indicative of the iridocorneal angle.
What does the Tyndall Effect indicate?
Aqueous flare – proteins in the anterior chamber which can be resulting from equine recurrent uveitis or acute uveitis.