No, your eyes aren't blurring...that's just Smudge, an 11-year old Appaloosa gelding who came to Skagit Animals in Need via a law enforcement seizure. He has recurrent uveitis and we are treating that condition, which is an inflammation of the layer of tissue that lies between the eye’s outer layer (including the cornea) and its inner layer (the retina). As a result, he has suffered some vision loss.
UPDATE 3/17/2024: Happy news for Smudge! He recently saw an equine ophthalmologist to evaluate his uveitis. Turns out that it is not the progressive, autoimmune type. And he doesn't appear to have cataracts or glaucoma. We're awaiting the results of some tests that will help us determine the best course of treatment for him.
UPDATE 6/27/2024: Great news for our Smudge! The infection in his eyes is completely gone now. The not-so-great news is that the infection caused a tear in the retina in his left eye. This partially detached retina means he has permanent partial vision loss in that eye. In his next ophthalmologist appointment, he'll have a laser treatment to preserve the rest of the retina and prevent complete detachment. And while you may have human friends who have had retinal repair surgery, it doesn't work well in horses. But the laser treatment should be protective of the rest of his retina. He also has some damage to the retina in his right eye and, as a result, some minor impairment to vision in that eye. However, the retina is intact and not in danger of detaching. All of this explains his occasional jumpiness or random startles, especially on his left side. For ongoing care, the ophthalmologist has recommended keeping him on a low dose of Bute and eye ointment, currently twice a week, but possibly reducing eventually to once a week, for his lifetime, as a preventative measure to keep inflammation to a minimum, as his left eye will be especially susceptible to any kind of trauma.
UPDATE 7/29/2024: Our brave boy needs a more complex eye surgery than initially thought to deal with his left retinal tear. The vet will use a gas bubble to reposition the detached retina, then laser the edges to promote healing. This gives Smudge the best chance to save vision in his left eye. Keep those positive vibes coming for our spotted friend!
UPDATE 10/14/2024: Smudge's vision loss is progressing and he was a bit lame. We got him some new shoes, which has helped with the lameness. We've reached out to the ophthalmologist again regarding the state of his vision.
