Eye Injuries in Horses

Eye injuries are the most common cause of blindness in horses. According to veterinarian Dr. Duane Fitzgerald, even a relatively minor eye injury can rapidly deteriorate if left untreated, making it difficult for a veterinarian to save the horse's vision. Fitzgerald says eye injuries in horses should be treated as emergencies by owners, due to the high probability of long-term damage occurring.

  1. Common eye injuries

    • Fitzgerald says that the most common type of equine eye injury is the corneal ulcer, commonly referred to as the scratched eye. Horses can get a corneal ulcer from inadvertently running into tree or other object.

    Symptoms

    • A horse with an eye injury may display one or more symptoms, including a lack of sleeping, noticeable squinting, and tearing. The horse may also be reluctant to have the eye touched, handled, or examined.

    Treatments

    • Common treatments for eye injuries include flushing the injury with saline solution to clean it, removal of the cause of injury, if still present, and repeated application of prescription antibiotic eye ointment to prevent infection. It is also common to keep the eye covered to prevent dust and debris from getting into the injury.