Equine Cataracts

If your horse seems to have a cloudy film in his eye (or eyes), or seems to have trouble seeing, he may have cataracts. Since horses learn to adapt to such problems, you may not notice the blindness until some time after it has developed.

  1. Definition

    • A cataract is the clouding of the lens in a horse's eye. It can become so severe that the horse can't see through the lens.

    Horses Affected

    • Cataracts occur in 5 to 7 percent of horses.

    Causes

    • Cataracts have several causes: equine recurrent uveitis (also called moonblindness), trauma to the eye, lack of proper nutrition and genetics.

    Onset

    • Depending on the cause of the cataracts, either eye or both eyes may be affected. A horse can be born with cataracts or develop them later in life.

    Treatment

    • Cataracts are removed in a procedure called phacofragmentation. The horse's lens is fragmented by ultrasound waves and removed piece by piece with a catheter. The lens is not replaced. If both eyes are affected, treatment is done in separate procedures. (If both eyes were done at the same time the horse, under general anesthesia, would have to lie on a fresh surgery wound.