Symptoms of the Common Eye Problems in Morgan Horses

Horses, like people, can be stricken with a variety of eye problems. Equine eye ailments range from moderate to severe and can affect afflicted animal's quality of life and usefulness to its owner. Morgan horses are slightly more prone to suffering from eye problems than other breeds. Some equine eye problems can be treated and even cured. Untreatable problems are likely to permanently affect the horse's long-term prospects.

  1. Cataracts

    • According to veterinary ophthalmologist Dennis E. Brooks, DVM, PhD., Morgan horses are marginally more likely to be afflicted with cataracts than other breeds.

      Brooks defines cataracts as "opacities of the lens."

      Symptoms of cataracts manifest as varying degrees of blindness that increase as the cataract matures and the horse's vision is obstructed. The more mature a cataract becomes the more opaque it will become, which lessens the afflicted horse's ability to see.

      Horses exhibiting symptoms of blindness may run into or bump into objects or become more inclined to spook at shadowy objects as their eyesight is obscured.

      Cataract surgery can and has been performed on horses with varying degrees of success.

    Eye Injuries and Abrasions

    • The most common cause of blindness in horses of any breed is an eye injury or an abrasion to the eye. Dr. Duane Fitzgerald of Thornwood Equine says the reason eye injuries are considered "almost" emergencies by most veterinarians is that "if some eye conditions are left untreated even for 24 hours, they can rapidly deteriorate to a point where it becomes difficult to salvage the eye and its visual function."

      Fitzgerald refers to the corneal ulcer, or scratched eye, as the most common equine eye injury. He said symptoms of equine eye injury include lack of sleep, squinting, tearing and reluctance to allow humans to handle the eye.

    Clogged or Blocked Tear Duct

    • A blocked nasolacrimal duct, or tear duct, is another common equine eye problem. Fitzgerald said horses who are suffering from a blocked tear duct normally exhibit tearing from one of both eyes, but behave normally otherwise. Occasionally, the blocked tear duct can cause the horse's eyelids to swell slightly. Veterinarians commonly treat blocked tear ducts by flushing, or blowing out, the blockage.

    Moon Blindness

    • Moon blindness, officially called Equine recurrent uveitis (ERU), is a very common cause of equine blindness that affects a number of common horse breeds. Brooks defines ERU as "a group of immune-mediated diseases of multiple origins cause inflammation of the iris, ciliary body, choroid, and retina." The specific cause of this condition is unknown, but heredity plays a factor in some cases. The term moon blindness was coined in the 1600s when the condition was commonly believed to be caused by the phases of the moon.

      Symptoms of ERU include signs of blindness and inflammation of the eye. ERU can be treated in a variety of ways. According to Brooks, "the major goals of treatment of ERU are to preserve vision, decrease pain, and prevent or minimize the recurrence of attacks of uveitis."

      Brooks cautions that the prognosis for a horse with ERU is normally poor and some horses will require lifelong therapy in order to maintain vision.