Use of Intravitreal Injection of Gentamicin in 71 Horses With Equine Recurrent Uveitis.

The research investigated the effectiveness of intravitreal injections of gentamicin in treating equine recurrent uveitis in 71 horses between 2010 and 2016. The findings suggest that this approach can be beneficial in maintaining ocular quiescence, though further study is needed.

Research Context and Objective

• The research was a retrospective study carried out between 2010 and 2016 aimed at determining the efficacy of intravitreal gentamicin injection in treating equine recurrent uveitis (a painful eye disease in horses that often leads to blindness).
• Equine recurrent uveitis is characterized by repeated episodes of inflammation in the eye. There is currently no specific cure for this condition, and existing treatments often aim at controlling the inflammation and preserving vision as much as possible.
• Thus, the main objective of the study was to assess how effective intravitreal gentamicin (an antibiotic drug) injection could be in controlling inflammation and maintaining ocular quiescence (a state where the eye is quiet or not inflamed).

Study Design and Method

• A total of 71 horses suffering from equine recurrent uveitis were treated with intravitreal injection of 6 mg of gentamicin in 0.3 mL solution.
• The horses’ ocular health was then monitored over varying periods of time by scoring aqueous flare (clouding of the eye liquid due to inflammation) and hyalitis (inflammation of the hyaloid membrane in the eye) at specific intervals: 15, 30, 60, 90, 180, 365, and 730 days after treatment.

Findings and Results

• At the end of the study, 42 horses achieved a total inflammation score of zero, while the near rest showed improved inflammation scores.
• Most of the observed outcomes of the treatment include ocular hypotension (low pressure in the eye), lens opacities (cloudiness or discoloration in the lens of the eye), and retinal folds (irregularities in the shape of the retina).
• A follow-up telephone survey conducted at least 6 months after the injection revealed that 70 of the horses did not have observable episodes of inflammation and did not require further eye medication.

Conclusion and Implications

• The study concluded that low-dose intravitreal injection of gentamicin could be an effective treatment method to control inflammation and maintain ocular quiescence in cases of equine recurrent uveitis.
• However, the research also acknowledged the need for further studies and discussions on the subject due to the observed side effects and the varying timelines for re-examinations of the horses.