Equine Opthalmology Flashcards
How can you routinely examine the equine eye?
- Distance
- Local blocks
- Fluoroscein/ Rose Bengal dye
- Focal light source
–Pen torch or transilluminator
- Direct or panoptic ophthalmoscope
- Transpalpebral ultrasound
Name 2 examining techniques that are rarely used to examine the eye (3)
- Indirect ophthalmoscopy
- Slit lamp evaluation of cornea/anterior chamber
–Can be used
•Tonometry
How would you do lacrimal nerve block?
•Needle subcutaneously just dorsal to the lateral canthus
–direct medially across the dorsal orbital rim during injection
How would you do an Infratrochlear nerve block (2-3ml)?
–Insert needle at medial canthus
–Needle directed along the bony notch on the dorsal rim of the orbit (toward the medial canthus)
•Desensitisation of medial eyelid
Why would you do an infratrochlear nerve block?
- Desensitisation of medial eyelid
- Third eyelid remove
- Medial canthus eye laceration repair
How would you do a Zygomatic nerve block?
–Local anaesthetic along the ventral and lateral aspect of the bony orbit
•near the junction where the orbit begins to curve upward
What is a Zygomatic nerve block good for?
•Desensitisation of the remainder of the lower lid
What 3 things might we look for in a pre purchase occular exam?
–Evidence of congenital/hereditary ocular disease
–Diseases that may lead to decreased vision
–Tumours (SCC)
What is the uvea made up of?
–Iris
–Ciliary body
–Choroid – blood supply to retina
Why is the uvea important?
–Sight-limiting and a major cause of blindness if not appropriately diagnosed and aggressively treated
What equine uveitis do we see in the UK?
–Secondary to trauma
–Can be IM due to a variety of infectious organisms
What pathogenesis of uveitis do we see in USA and Europe?
–Equine recurrent uveitis
•Leptospirosis pomona/ grippotyphosa
Name 2 breeds susceptible to Equine recurrent uveitis (3)
–German WB’s
–Appaloosas
–Coloured horses
Name presenting signs of equine uveiitis
- OCULAR PAIN
- Excess lacrimation
- Blepharospasm
- (Photophobia)
- MIOSIS
- Fibrin in anterior chamber
- Corneal oedema
- Chorioretinitis
Name possible sequential events of equine uveitis
- Synechiae
- Iris rests
- Change in iris pigmentation
- Reduction in size of corpora nigrans
- Cataracts
- Retinal detachment
- Glaucoma
- BLINDNESS
What are the aims of equine uveitis treatment?
–Provide analgesia
•Ocular conditions are VERY painful
–Preserve vision
–Prevent or minimise recurrence
How can we treat equine uveitis? And why
•NSAID’s
–Systemic
•Atropine
–Topical
–Decreases pain when miosis reversed
–Decrease risk of synechiae and iris rest formation
•Corticosteroids
–With care
–NEVER if there is an ulcer
•Antibiotics
–Topical and BS
–Esp if using C/S’s
What is the prognosis with equine uveitus?
- Good if treated swiftly and aggressively
- Warn clients that there may be a recurrence
–Can’t predict which horses
•Any changes visible in the eye of previous uveitis will cause the horse to be failed at PPE
What is fibrin in anterior chamber ofte secondary to?
Blunt trauma
C) What is hypopyon (inflam cells in anterior chamber) usuallt secondary to?
B) What do they have concurrent?
A) Sepsis
B) Uveitis
Where is hypopyon common?
Farm and neonates
What are the 2 types of cataracts?
- Congenital
- ACquireed
What is the common caue of lens luxation and subluxation?
Trauma
When do we consider surgery with congenital cataracts?
–Cataracts
–No uveitis
–Intact retina
- PLR/menace
- Normal on U/S
–Vision impairment
–Appropriate personality
























