What Does Wall Eye on a Horse Mean?

In the horse business, the term "wall eye" is often used interchangeably with the terms "glass eye" and "china eye." These phrases are used to describe a specific coloring of the eye and are merely a point of reference for the unusual appearance of a horse's eye when it lacks pigment.

  1. Wall Eye

    • "Wall eye" is used to describe an eye without pigment in the pupil. A horse that has a wall eye will have an eye that appears to be either light blue or white. One or both eyes can be affected by this condition. The iris of the eye may appear to be brown, white or gray and the colors in the eye may appear to blend together or merge.

    Vision

    • Wall eye does not affect the vision or seeing abilities of affected horses. The condition is simply a lack of pigment, which affects appearance and nothing else. Horses that are born with a wall eye can see just as well as horses with normal, brown eyes. On the other hand, a horse whose eyes have turned white or blue during adulthood is probably experiencing a problem with his health and vision, such as equine corneal disease. Equine corneal disease is a condition that will cause a horse's eyes to turn blue and cloudy.

    Causes

    • A wall eye is caused by a lack of pigment in the skin and area around the eye. It is common for albino horses to have wall eyes. It is also common for light-colored horses or horses of certain breeds, such as the American paint horse, to have wall eyes. Wall eyes may also occur when the white markings on the face expand to cover one or both eyes.

    Registering the Wall Eyed Horse

    • Some breed registries consider a wall eye to be a flaw in the horse's appearance and may even disqualify the horse from being registered with the registry, regardless of parentage or bloodlines. Other registries may allow a horse to be registered on the condition that it is not bred and that any offspring the horse produces will not be eligible for registration. It is important to research your specific horse's intended breed registry rules before purchasing or breeding a horse with a wall eye.