Nonulcerative keratouveitis in five horses.

The study investigates nonulcerative keratouveitis, a severe eye condition in five horses, characterized by corneal lesions and persistent inflammation. Treatment involved topical and parenteral medications, with differing degrees of effectiveness in managing pain and preserving vision.

Understanding Nonulcerative Keratouveitis

• The research paper focuses on severe nonulcerative keratouveitis, an eye condition affecting horses. Nonulcerative keratouveitis involves inflammation of the cornea (the transparent front surface of the eye) and the uvea, the middle layer containing much of the eye’s blood vessels. This inflammation does not result in ulceration, a common symptom in such conditions, hence the name nonulcerative.
• In the cases observed, the horses had corneal lesions that were identified by a pink stromal infiltrate, first appearing in the stroma near the limbus, the border area between the cornea and sclera. Likewise, there was persistent iridocyclitis, an inflammation of the iris and ciliary body within the uvea, which didn’t cease.

Microscopic Lesions and Their Characteristics

• For three out of the five horses, the researchers found that microscopic lesions involved noticeable corneal stromal fibrosis, which refers to thickening or scarring of the corneal tissue.
• These lesions also had varying degrees of inflammatory cellular infiltration, meaning these areas had significant invasion by immune cells as part of the body’s response to the pathological condition.

Treatment and Results

• The treatment used for nonulcerative keratouveitis involved both topical and systemic medication. Topically applied medicine included corticosteroids and mydriatic/cycloplegics, while corticosteroids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were administered parenterally, meaning they were given via routes other than through the digestive tract, such as intramuscular injection.
• The effectiveness of these treatments varied in controlling pain and preserving vision in the affected horses. While the abstract doesn’t provide specific results, it highlights the variable success rate of this treatment combination.