Essay On Equine Recurrent Uveitis

Equine recurrent uveitis also known as moon blindness or periodic ophthalmia, is one of the most common eye conditions in horses and the leading cause of blindness. It is an immune-mediated disease, meaning the body's immune system attacks its own tissues in the eye. The exact cause of the disease has yet to be discovered and no cure exists, making this disease a challenge for owners and veterinarians alike. No horse, regardless of age and breed, is safe from this disease. This disease can impact your horse's quality of life and your relationship together, as well as interfere with training, decrease performance, and prevent participation in competitions because of drug withdrawal times. Prompt detection and treatment is crucial to preserving your horse's eyesight and quality of life. Diagnosing equine recurrent uveitis
You may notice these signs if your horse has equine recurrent uveitis if your horse is squinting or holding the affected eye shut in response to pain and sensitivity to light. There may also be excessive tearing, and a closer look at the eye may reveal a bluish or cloudy appearance to the cornea, the white portion of the eye may look bloodshot, and the pupil may be smaller than normal. The damage to the eye is progressive, even with prompt and aggressive treatment. Scarring can develop within the eye, cataracts, glaucoma, chronic pain, and some will ultimately become blind. Unfortunately there is no cure for equine recurrent uveitis. Therefore, the recommended treatment for active episodes of uveitis is aimed at decreasing the inflammation within the eye, controlling the horse's pain, minimizing the damage to the structures of the eye, and delaying the onset of blindness. Each horse and situation is unique, but treatment includes a combination of topical and systemic anti-inflammatories, steroids, and immunosuppressive