Return to work following unilateral enucleation in 34 horses (2000-2008).
Abstract: REASONS FOR STUDY: The effect of unilateral enucleation on vision and potential loss of performance in horses has received little study. Objective: To evaluate the likelihood of return to prior discipline following unilateral enucleation in horses, assessing the role of age at enucleation, equine discipline, reason for enucleation, time to vision loss and eye enucleated. Objective: Unilateral enucleation has no significant effect on likelihood of return to work in horses, for both right and left eyes, across age and discipline. Methods: A retrospective review of medical records identified 92 horses that underwent unilateral enucleation at the University of Pennsylvania New Bolton Center from April 2000-April 2008. Case variables determined from the medical record included breed and sex of horse, age at enucleation, which eye was enucleated, reason for enucleation and onset of vision loss. Pre- and post operative occupations were determined by telephone interview with the owner or trainer of each horse. Results: Based on hospital surgery logs, 92 enucleations were performed over the 8 year period and 77 records were available for review, with follow-up information available for 34 horses. Of these, 29/34 (85%) horses returned to work in pleasure or trail riding (11/13), flat racing (7/10), hunter/jumpers (4/4), dressage (3/3), group lessons (1/1), eventing (1/1), steeplechase (1/1) and as a broodmare (1/1). Four of 5 horses (4/34, or 12% sample) that did not return to work (2 pleasure and 2 racing) were retired due to anticipated or perceived decrease in performance or behaviour change following unilateral enucleation, with the remaining horse retired from racing for lameness issues unrelated to enucleation. Twenty-two of 25 horses (88%) with acute vision loss and 7/9 horses (78%) with gradual vision loss returned to their previous discipline. Conclusions: Horses are able to return to a variety of occupations after unilateral enucleation.
Publication Date: 2010-02-17 PubMed ID: 20156252DOI: 10.2746/042516409X479577Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
This research studied the impact of unilateral enucleation (removal of one eye) on a horse’s ability to return to its previous work role. It found that the removal of one eye does not significantly affect the likelihood of a horse’s ability to go back to its function, regardless of the horse’s age, discipline or which eye was operated on.
Objectives of the Research
- This study aimed to evaluate the influence of unilateral enucleation on a horse’s ability to resume its previous discipline or occupation.
- The factors examined included a horse’s age at enucleation, the discipline it was involved in, the reason for the enucleation, the onset of vision loss, and which eye was removed.
- The primary hypothesis was that the removal of one eye does not significantly affect a horse’s ability to return to work.
Methodology of the Study
- The research was carried out by conducting a retrospective review of medical records of horses that underwent unilateral enucleation at the University of Pennsylvania New Bolton Center between April 2000 and April 2008.
- Various case variables were determined from the medical records, including the horse’s breed and sex, the horse’s age at enucleation, the reason for the enucleation, the onset of vision loss, and which eye was removed.
- The researchers then carried out telephone interviews with the owners or trainers of each horse to find out about the horse’s pre- and post-operative occupations.
Results of the Study
- The study found that 85% of horses (29 out of 34) that had undergone unilateral enucleation returned to work in their previous roles. This mainly included pleasure or trail riding, flat racing, hunter/jumpers, dressage, group lessons, eventing, steeplechase, and breeding.
- Only 12% of horses (4 out of 34) did not return to work, which was due to anticipated or perceived decrease in performance or behavioural change following unilateral enucleation. An additional horse retired due to lameness issues unrelated to the enucleation.
- Among the horses that experienced acute vision loss, 88% (22 out of 25) returned to their previous discipline, compared to 78% (7 out of 9) among those with gradual vision loss.
Conclusions of the Study
- Based on the findings, the researchers concluded that horses are generally capable of returning to a variety of occupations after undergoing unilateral enucleation.
Cite This Article
APA
Utter ME, Wotman KL, Covert KR.
(2010).
Return to work following unilateral enucleation in 34 horses (2000-2008).
Equine Vet J, 42(2), 156-160.
https://doi.org/10.2746/042516409X479577 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- New Bolton Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 382 West Street Road, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania 19348, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Eye Diseases / surgery
- Eye Diseases / veterinary
- Eye Enucleation / rehabilitation
- Eye Enucleation / veterinary
- Female
- Horse Diseases / surgery
- Horses
- Male
- Physical Conditioning, Animal
- Retrospective Studies
Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- Huppes T, Hermans H, Ensink JM. A retrospective analysis of the risk factors for surgical site infections and long-term follow-up after transpalpebral enucleation in horses. BMC Vet Res 2017 Jun 2;13(1):155.
- Sherman AB, Gilger BC, Berglund AK, Schnabel LV. Effect of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells and stem cell supernatant on equine corneal wound healing in vitro. Stem Cell Res Ther 2017 May 25;8(1):120.
- Roth LSV, McGreevy P. Horse vision through two lenses: Tinbergen's Four Questions and the Five Domains. Front Vet Sci 2025;12:1647911.
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
