Glaucoma with Descemet’s membrane detachment in five horses.
Abstract: To describe the clinical and histopathologic features of glaucoma associated with Descemet's membrane (DM) detachment in five horses without prior history of intraocular surgery. Methods: Three Appaloosa horses and two Thoroughbreds were included in this study. The affected horses ranged in age from 16 to 27 years and presented with severe diffuse corneal edema. Methods: Five eyes were enucleated due to intraocular hypertension and/or chronic corneal ulceration. The enucleated globes were evaluated by the Comparative Ocular Pathology Laboratory of Wisconsin (COPLOW). Each globe was routinely processed for histopathology and analyzed by light microscopy. A histologic diagnosis of glaucoma was reached by demonstrating a loss of optic nerve axonal tissue by measuring neurofilament-immunopositive axons with automated image analysis software. Results: All five horses presented with unilateral severe diffuse corneal edema that had developed between 2 and 16 weeks prior to enucleation. Intraocular pressures for the affected eyes were between 9 and 87 mmHg prior to enucleation. Descemet's membrane detachment was identified histopathologically in all five globes (5/5, 100%). All five eyes had an avascular spindle cell proliferation filling the space between the displaced peripheral DM and the corneal stroma. Neurofilament immunostaining revealed axonal loss consistent with glaucoma. Conclusions: Equine glaucoma may be associated with Descemet's membrane detachment. This detachment and glaucoma is a possible differential diagnosis for severe equine corneal edema. In this case series, an eye with a DM detachment had a poor prognosis for retention.
© 2016 American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.
Publication Date: 2016-05-18 PubMed ID: 27191927DOI: 10.1111/vop.12388Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This research details an investigation into glaucoma in horses, where it is found to associate with Descemet’s membrane detachment. It focuses on five horse cases showing similar conditions, leading to the conclusion that equine glaucoma could potentially be diagnosed from severe corneal edema, originating from the detachment of Descemet’s membrane.
Research Context and Methods
- This study inspected five horses suffering from glaucoma associated with detached Descemet’s Membrane (DM), a vital, clear layer of the cornea. All horses had no prior history of intraocular surgery.
- The horses included three Appaloosas and two Thoroughbreds, aged between 16 to 27 years. They displayed severe and widespread corneal edema, a condition where excess fluid accumulates in the cornea tissue, causing inflammation or swelling.
- To proceed with their examination, the team enucleated (removed surgically) the affected eyes due to intraocular hypertension (ocular high pressure) and/or persistent corneal ulceration. The removed eyes (globes) were methodically processed for histopathology, a microscopic examination of biological tissues and analyzed with light microscopy.
- To conclusively diagnose glaucoma, they had to demonstrate a loss of optic nerve axonal tissue, accomplished by measuring neurofilament-immunopositive axons with automated image analysis software.
Findings
- All five horses had shown unilateral severe diffuse corneal edema between 2 and 16 weeks before the eye was removed. The intraocular pressures for these affected eyes were found to range between 9 and 87 mmHg before enucleation.
- IThe detached DM was histopathologically observed in all five enucleated globes, confirming the condition in every case. Furthermore, an avascular spindle cell proliferation was identified in all eyes, located between the displaced peripheral DM and corneal stroma (the thick, middle layer of the cornea).
- Through neurofilament immunostaining, a process to detect remaining nerve fibers, axonal losses aligned with glaucoma diagnosis were revealed.
Conclusion
- The research finds striking associations between equine glaucoma and DM detachments. It points out that these detachments and the resulting glaucoma can potentially be considered as a cause for severe equine corneal edema.
- In the discussed case series, eyes with DM detachment carried a poor prognosis regarding their retention, suggesting the adverse impact of the condition.
Cite This Article
APA
Henriksen ML, La Croix N, Wilkie DA, Lassaline-Utter M, Brantman KR, Beamer GL, Teixeira LBC, Dubielzig RR.
(2016).
Glaucoma with Descemet’s membrane detachment in five horses.
Vet Ophthalmol, 20(3), 273-279.
https://doi.org/10.1111/vop.12388 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Comparative Ophthalmology Service, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, 1352 Boyd Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA.
- The Veterinary Medical Center of Long Island, 75 Sunrise Highway, West Islip, NY, 11795, USA.
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Comparative Ophthalmology, The Ohio State University, 1900 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
- Department of Radiological and Surgical Sciences, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
- Northwest Animal Eye Specialists, 13020 NE 85th Street, Kirkland, WA, 98033, USA.
- Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, 200 Westboro Road, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA.
- Comparative Ocular Pathology Laboratory of Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin, 2015 Linden Dr. #3308, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.
- Comparative Ocular Pathology Laboratory of Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin, 2015 Linden Dr. #3308, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Corneal Edema / diagnosis
- Corneal Edema / veterinary
- Descemet Membrane / injuries
- Eye Enucleation / veterinary
- Female
- Glaucoma / diagnosis
- Glaucoma / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horses
- Male
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