Traumatic phacocele in an American Miniature Horse.
Abstract: An 18-year-old American Miniature Horse mare was presented with a complaint of a scleral swelling affecting the right eye and a history of suspected trauma 6 weeks prior to evaluation. Clinical findings included severe blepharospasm, a bulbous swelling of the dorsotemporal bulbar conjunctiva, and phthisis bulbi. Ocular ultrasound was recommended but declined. Enucleation was elected for the blind, painful eye and was performed standing. Gross and histopathologic examinations of the globe were consistent with extrusion of the lens to the episcleral space, which is classified as a traumatic phacocele when associated with naturally occurring trauma. The location of lens entrapment suggested globe rupture occurred at the limbus, which is described as one of the weakest points of the equine globe. Subconjunctival dislocation of the lens and development of a traumatic phacocele should be considered as a differential diagnosis for horses presenting with subconjunctival masses, apparent aphakia, and historical trauma.
© 2018 American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.
Publication Date: 2018-03-08 PubMed ID: 29517148DOI: 10.1111/vop.12563Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The study describes the case of an 18-year-old American Miniature Horse mare who developed a traumatic phacocele, or displacement of the lens to the episcleral space, following trauma to the right eye. The research highlights the importance of considering this condition in the differential diagnosis for horses presented with subconjunctival masses, apparent aphakia, and a history of trauma.
Case Presentation
- The study features the case of an 18-year-old American Miniature Horse mare who had developed a scleral swelling in the right eye due to suspected trauma six weeks prior to evaluation.
- The mare demonstrated severe symptoms such as blepharospasm (forceful closing of the eyelid), a large swelling of the dorsotemporal bulbar conjunctiva (the thin layer covering the front part of the eye), and phthisis bulbi (a shrunken, non-functional eye).
Medical Intervention
- An ocular ultrasound was proposed to further investigate the condition, but the recommendation was declined.
- Due to the painful and blind state of the affected eye, enucleation (surgical removal of the eye) was chosen as the best course of action. The surgery was conducted with the horse in a standing position.
Pathological Findings
- Both gross examination (observation with the naked eye) and histopathologic examination (microscopic view of specific tissue to study manifestations of disease) of the removed eye revealed that the lens had moved to the episcleral space. A condition known as a traumatic phacocele. The occurrence of this condition suggests a ruptured globe at the limbus, which is known to be one of the weakest points of the equine eye.
- These findings were consistent with natural trauma, reinforcing the initial suspicion that the injury had naturally occurred.
Implication of the Findings
- The case provides noteworthy insights for identifying subconjunctival dislocation of the lens and development of traumatic phacocele in horses.
- It underlines the need to consider these conditions as potential differential diagnoses for horses presented with analogous symptoms including subconjunctival masses, apparent aphakia (absence of the lens), and a history of trauma.
Cite This Article
APA
Knickelbein KE, Stock M, Carrasco SE, Reilly CM, Lassaline ME.
(2018).
Traumatic phacocele in an American Miniature Horse.
Vet Ophthalmol, 22(1), 61-66.
https://doi.org/10.1111/vop.12563 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
- Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
- Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
- Insight Veterinary Specialty Pathology, Austin, TX, USA.
- Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Eye Enucleation / veterinary
- Eye Injuries / diagnosis
- Eye Injuries / veterinary
- Female
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / surgery
- Horses
- Lens Subluxation / diagnosis
- Lens Subluxation / veterinary
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