10 tips for protecting your horse's eyes

Pauline Cantet - Equine veterinarian - Founder of Classequine

Ophthalmological problems are more common than we think in horses. Although they are less frequently discussed than colic or lameness, they should not be overlooked. Causes include traumatic accidents, impacts, or foreign bodies, but also numerous immune-related or degenerative problems. The most common chronic condition is recurrent uveitis, which affects the horse's visual prognosis. 

Risk factors for eye disease are mainly related to the environment: sun, wind, dust, grass seeds, insects, etc.

When winter arrives, owners tend to remove fly masks. However, even though there are fewer insects and UV rays are less intense, other causes of eye inflammation remain, particularly wind. It is therefore important to remain vigilant and adapt protection to each horse and its lifestyle. Here are a few tips:

1. Keep wearing an insect mask as long as there are flies around, especially in the south of France, where Habronemosis (a parasitic disease transmitted by flies) is present.

2. Clean secretions with saline solution if necessary, but do not clean the eyes every day if there is no discharge.

3. Avoid working with the horse in a poorly watered or dusty arena or riding school.

4. Do not sweep the stables while horses are present.

5. Protect the horse from wind and drafts. It must have shelter if it lives in a pasture, and its stall must be well ventilated but not drafty. Avoid working the horse in strong winds, or use protective goggles.

6. In case of irritation,if the eyes are swollen and watery, applying warm chamomile tea compresses can help soothe the inflammation.

7. Check your pet's eyes every day, at least to make sure they are open properly, because if there is a problem, it is essential to seek veterinary attention quickly.

8. Combat rodent infestations, as rodents will seek shelter from the cold and nest in stables. They transmit diseases, particularly leptospirosis, which can cause recurrent uveitis.

9. Be very careful with hay and plants growing in meadows. Some are photosensitive and cause burns and uveitis attacks with bilateral corneal edema, even when the sun is not very hot. Photosensitization generally occurs through the accumulation of pigments in the epidermis and cornea, which react to UV rays after a few days, destroying the cells around them. In some cases, photosensitization is linked to liver poisoning. The plants responsible include umbellifers, but also arnica and all plants that are toxic to the liver. The more light-colored skin areas (piebald, cream, etc.) and light-colored eyes horses have, the more dangerous photosensitivity is. In the eyes, bilateral blue haze is typical.

10. Keep a mask providing maximum UV protection on all horses with pink eyelids or prone to recurring eye problems (uveitis and keratitis, eyelid or corneal carcinomas), even if UV rays are less intense in the fall. This also protects them from the wind.