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Inflammed, Tearing Eyes, Swollen Lids
Inflammed, Tearing, and Swollen Eyes in Horses
Introduction
Signs of irritated eyes are: tearing, eye lids held partially closed, redness, purulent discharge, cloudiness of the cornea, and swollen lids. Depending on the seriousness, one or all of the above signs may be present. A few definitions might help clarify what the doctor is saying. Inflammation of the eye is frequently described by its location:
- Redness of the sclera, the whites of the eyes, and swelling of the lids is termed conjunctivitis.
- Inflammation of the cornea results in a reversible cloudiness of the clear portion is called keratitis.
- Inflammation of the anterior chamber and iris is generally referred to anterior uveitis. Though each is a specific location generally, inflammation of the eye involves two or all these structures.
Clinical Signs
Pain
The classic sign of a painful eye is squinting and holding the eye closed. If your horse has signs of a painful eye, you should seek veterinary help as pain may be an early indication of trauma or infection and require immediate treatment to prevent worsening or serious sequelae. Other signs that indicate a serious condition are a cloudy area on the cornea (the clear, outer portion of the eye ball) or a purulent (pussy) discharge. Because of the pain, a complete exam will probably require sedation.
Irritation without pain
Other signs of inflammation are:
- redness of the sclera (the white parts)
- tearing,
- swelling around the eyes
Tearing
This is a common clinical sign in horses and has other causes besides inflammation. You can divide the causes into two groups:
- blocked or improper drainage
- increased production
Improper Drainage and Overflow
In a horse that shows no signs of eye irritation yet chronically tears, the nasolacrimal duct maybe blocked. These are ducts that open in the corner of the eye and empty into the nostril close to the mucocutaneous junction (where the skin meets the pink tissue in the nostril). It is responsible for draining the tears in the eye. These ducts are easy to test with a dye placed in the eye and watched for at the outlet in the nose. If obstructed an attempt to unblock them can be made by flushing with saline using a fine tube threaded up the duct. Success will depend on what is causing the obstruction.
Abnormalities of the lids and changes in the shape of the eye itself may cause overflow. These abnormalities may have been there since birth or developed afterward. Some of the causes are: foreign bodies, tumors, infection and glaucoma.
Increased Production
Excessive tear production is almost always caused by irritation. Some of the causes of irritation are: dust, trauma, fly irritation, infections, auto immune disorders (see Recurrent Uveitis), cancer, bright light, and no pigmentation around the eyes (Appaloosas).
Exam and Diagnosis
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