corpora nigra

The corpora nigra are the irregular looking brown shapes you can see in the horses eye. I believe that they help filter light to the eye - but don't quote me on it! My mum's horse has them & they are perfectly normal. My horse, however, has a cystic enlargement of his in his left eye. I have had the vets check it on a couple of occasions, and they have just said to keep an eye on it in case it gets bigger - which it hasn't in the 4 years I have been aware of it. Doesn't seem to impair his vision at all. There is an interesting piece on it here:

http://www.evj.co.uk/archive/downloads/EVE07_19_512_514.pdf

The one my horse has is very like the 2nd photo (Fig2). I was quite worried when I first noticed it, but the vet had a good look when he was sedated for an unrelated incident, and was not concerned with its size or shape.
 
They are a normal part of the horse's eye. However, in some cases, cysts can develop. But I would assume this is no different than any other part of the horse's anatomy developing an abnormality. I'll await Prince33 Sp4rkles confirmation!
 
This is very interesting. I was looking this up the other day as Beanie has these in both eyes. My reason for interest is that she is also a headshaker (worse on sunny days) and it has been noted that these things can cause the headshaking.
 
My 12 year old bay mare has developed iris cysts in both eyes and they have not caused any problems when ridden that I have noticed. The vet said not to worry about them, they are unlikely to cause trouble.
 
ditto the above 100%!!!

not knocking vets but they do occasionaly get confused between CN, the two "bubbles" related to the central nervous system that show in the eye, and actual genuine cysts-which may or may not show up in the area of the CN but are NOT caused by the CN......clear as mud?!
 
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