Horses with Cataracts

Cataract is a heavy opacity of lens and is the most common congenital ocular defect in horses. In horses with cataracts, as the cataract matures over the time, horses get different degrees of blindness. The very little initial staged lens opacities are common. However, they are not related with blindness. As the cataract grows and tends to be opaque, the degree of blindness in the horse increases.

Causes of horses with cataracts

There are several causes of cataracts.

Most of the cases of cataracts in adult horses are caused due to diseases that enkindle the inside of horse' eye. This disease is recurrent uveitis and is known as periodic ophthalmia or moon blindness.
Horses may have cataract by birth, which is known as congentital cataracts
It may develop cataracts after birth as a foal, known as juvenile cataracts
Cataract may develop in adult horse, called as adult or senile cataracts
Cataracts can also be inherited, though it is not common case in the horse.
It may be caused due to an injury to the eye

Cataracts in specific horse breeds

Appaloosa and Arabian

Congenital cataracts

Belgian Draft Horses

Aniridia and secondary cataracts Cataracts

Morgan

Nuclear, Bilateral, Symmetrical, and Non-progressive Cataracts

Quarter-Horse

Congenital cataracts

Rocky Mountain Horse, Miniature horses and American Saddlebred

Cataract

Thoroughbred

Congenital cataracts

Treatment for horses with cataracts

Treatment depends on the cause of the cataract and can range from surgical to medical management.
The cataract of adult horse can be removed only when the eye does not have any inflammatory diseases. The deep structure of the eye also have to be functional. As the lens of adult horse is hard, the surgical removal of adult lens becomes more complicated and difficult at times. In the adult horse, the lens removal has about a 50% chance to be successful.
Surgical removal of lens is next followed by huge treatment using medications. It is important to go on with the treatment for many weeks and months.
While treatment, it is important that the horse is kept in a dark stall having limited movement or exercise. Do not keep hay on overhead racks but on the ground.
As the lens removal become complicated in the horse, it involves relentless inflammation in the eye and also causes corneal ulcers or cloudiness. These complications can make the horse uncomfortable, blind and shrinking of its eyes.
A horse that has had surgical lens removal is not said to be 'sound' as its vision gets somewhat altered as compared to that of the normal eye. The horse can still function and perform services.
Give some aspirin in the feed daily for about 30 to 60 grams. It will help in reducing inflammation in the eye.
Keep the horse in a better warming program including the use of ivermectin wormer.

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