Uveitis and a Detached Retina: Surgery to Save Horse’s Vision

The horse, Lexius (Lexi), a 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare, had an infection in the vitreous that caused chronic inflammation and uveitis in both eyes. The most likely cause of the infection is the bacteria leptospirosis.
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Professor Hartmut Gerhards with the Clinic for Horses of Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Germany, travelled half-way around the world to perform a vitrectomy on a horse at the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine. Gerhards was assisted by Dr. Bettina Wollanke of Munich, and Eric S. Storey, DVM, MVSc, Dipl. ACVO, assistant professor of ophthalmology at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine. While vitrectomies are performed regularly in Germany, they are rarely performed in the United States. This is the first time this procedure has been performed on a horse at LSU.

The horse, Lexius (Lexi), a 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare, had an infection in the vitreous that caused chronic inflammation and uveitis in both eyes. The most likely cause of the infection is the bacteria leptospirosis. Uveitis is the most common inflammatory change to the uvea of the horse and can affect up to 12% of the population. It is the main cause for the blinding of horses. Lexi also has a detached retina in her left eye, and plans are being made to reattach her retina soon in a separate surgery.

When Lexi was first presented at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, Bob Gardes of Lafayette, La., was trying her out as a competition horse when a pre-purchase exam uncovered a recent problem with her eyes. Bob called his friend Julie Calzone who had known the horse for many years, and the two of them set up a consultation and exam with Storey.

Surgery

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