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| Biomicroscope Exam |
What simple observation is often the very first sign that a horse's eye is experiencing the earliest, subtle stages of discomfort?
(see below for the answer!)
As many of you are aware, I have a special interest in equine ophthalmology, the branch of equine medicine concerned with the study and treatment of disorders and diseases of the horse's eye. Last month I attended the first AAEP "Focus on Ophthalmology" meeting, held in Raleigh, N.C. This focus meeting offered two days of in-depth sessions with a hands on wet-lab to allow practitioners to broaden their range of skills in evaluating and treating the horse's eye.
This meeting was led by equine ophthalmologists Brian Gilger, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVO, Dennis E. Brooks, DVM, Dipl. ACVO, equine practitioner Ann Dwyer, DVM and
international lecturer Dr. Andy Mathews from Angus,Scotland, Board President elect of the International Equine Ophthalmology Consortium.
The following article highlights one of the lecture and wet lab topics, the always improving, "current standard of care" regarding equine eye examinations. In addition to the technical, in-depth evaluation techniques, Dr. Dennis Brooks highlighted the importance of several simple observations which require little or no specialized equipment. These very basic, practical and often overlooked observations can add much to the veterinarian's investigation and understanding of a patient's ophthalmic issues.
(Be sure and watch this Blog site for future detailed ophthalmic discussions, coming soon! )
The Horse | What's in an Equine Eye Exam?
Answer: The upper eye lash position. "The first sign of a painful eye often is the eyelashes of the upper eyelid pointing downward, as opposed to them being perpendicular to the eye's surface as is seen in healthy horses." This subtle, downward angle of the upper eye lashes is best appreciated when viewing both right and left eyelids at the same time from in front of the horse.
