Detached Retinas
July 5, 2010
Horses are capable of adjusting to blindness caused by a detached retina.
Question:
Five days ago, my mare was diagnosed with having a detached retina. Is there anything we can do for her, and how best can we manage this condition and her safety? What might her future be?
Answer:
Detached retinas are usually due to blunt trauma from running into something or being struck by something, but can be the result of an eye infection. If the detachment was the result of eye trauma, there is very little that can be done to reattach it. In humans, doctors use laser surgery to reattach the retina, but horses have different eye anatomy and I’m not aware of anyone attempting it in horses. If it is due to an infectious agent, there are medications that can be used to treat it, but restoration of the horse’s vision is seldom accomplished.
Horses get along extremely well with vision in only one eye. I’ve know many great roping and performance horses that were blind in one eye. If this has recently occurred, the horse should be helped getting used to her surroundings, and when the horse is approached from the blind side, the owner should speak to her before touching the horse or attempting to halter her. Eventually, the horse will adjust and should live a normal life.
– Dr. Tom R. Lenz, member of the American Association of Equine Practitioners
Comments
4 Comments on “Detached Retinas”
Add a Comment
July 5th, 2010 at 9:27 am
My gelding suffered a partial detach of his retina at the age of six. He is blind in his left eye. After this happened he continued his show career earned an amateur championship and superiors in open and amateur trail. He adapted very quickly I was the one who had to remember not to bump him into things. He is totally trusting when being led or ridden, and I had to remember not to side pass him into the gate or shut the stall door on his head. On his own, when turned out he never had any problems.
July 5th, 2010 at 6:26 pm
I know a horse named Pine Scotch who was completely blind and man, that horse really put his trust in me. I never wish that one of my mares become blind but I’ve never felt as a team as with Pine Scotch.
December 9th, 2010 at 9:48 am
[...] In September, Bailey underwent surgery to remove his right eye and alleviate the problems. Surgery went well, and his prognosis was good as he recovered, with one exception. During surgery, the optic nerve was damaged, causing him to lose the sight in his left eye. Bailey was totally blind. [...]
April 21st, 2011 at 4:02 am
[...] And here they can look at Magic and he doesn’t look back. Those kids are always exploring his eye sockets and getting up to his face and smelling him, which they won’t do with the other [...]