Equine glaucoma: state of the art.

This study focuses on the improved understanding and treatment of equine glaucoma, a disease affecting horses. Despite advancements in medical management and surgical procedures, the disease, which often results in blindness, could be underdiagnosed due to its deceptive nature.

Increased Understanding and Awareness of Equine Glaucoma

• In recent years, comprehension of equine glaucoma has developed considerably. This has been made possible due to advancements in technology and greater alertness from both veterinarians and horse owners.
• The increasing occurrence of glaucoma as a clinical diagnosis in horses can be attributed to the more widespread use of portable tonometers—a device that measures the pressure inside the eye, thereby helping in detecting glaucoma.
• However, the authors argue that the disease remains insidious or deceptive and painful, and might still be under-diagnosed in many cases. This could potentially be due to a lack of comprehensive symptoms or late emergence of signs.

Medical Management of Equine Glaucoma

• The medical management of equine glaucoma has evolved over time, with several medications being tested and evaluated for their efficacy.
• The objective of these medications is to either reduce the production of fluid (aqueous humor) in the eye or increase its outflow, thus decreasing the intraocular pressure and alleviating the symptoms of the disease.
• Despite the availability of these medications, managing equine glaucoma medically often remains challenging due to side effects or insufficient reduction of intraocular pressure.

Surgical Treatment of Equine Glaucoma

• Beyond medicinal treatments, advancements in technology have also improved surgical interventions for dealing with equine glaucoma.
• One of the notable advancements is the use of lasers in surgeries, which has shown considerable promise in treating the disease. This surgical approach usually aims at reducing intraocular pressure by improving fluid drainage or reducing fluid production.
• Despite the progress made in the surgical treatment of equine glaucoma, it often leads to blindness. This indicates the critical nature of the disease and necessitates the need for further research and improvements in both diagnosis and treatment methods.