Eye Injuries

[Natashaburrows]

Just after anybody who has dealt with eye injuries / recovery.

On Wednesday our little cob ended up with our welsh ponies tooth through his lower eyelid and the tooth resting on his eyeball and underneath his top eyelid.

Vets came straight away and removed it, swollen eye, had to have his bottom eyelid stitched back together and then left with bute and antibiotic cream for his eye. He’s got a fly mask on permanently and we’ve kept him in while is been sunny and bright.

The swelling is going down, and the discharge is a lot less, but obviously worried about long term damage, vets are back out tomorrow to have another look at him, all i keep on hearing is nightmare eye stories.

Anybody had a eye that has totally healed or with minimal damage, my daughter is terrified he will end up a one eyed pony.

 

[JenJ]

Just after anybody who has dealt with eye injuries / recovery.

On Wednesday our little cob ended up with our welsh ponies tooth through his lower eyelid and the tooth resting on his eyeball and underneath his top eyelid.

Vets came straight away and removed it, swollen eye, had to have his bottom eyelid stitched back together and then left with bute and antibiotic cream for his eye. He’s got a fly mask on permanently and we’ve kept him in while is been sunny and bright.

The swelling is going down, and the discharge is a lot less, but obviously worried about long term damage, vets are back out tomorrow to have another look at him, all i keep on hearing is nightmare eye stories.

Anybody had a eye that has totally healed or with minimal damage, my daughter is terrified he will end up a one eyed pony.

Ooof, that sounds like a horrible thing to happen, sorry you're going through this

I haven't had personal experience of eye injuries with my own horses, so can't offer advice from that perspective, but regarding your daughter's concern about him losing an eye - most horses cope perfectly well with only one eye.

We have one at my yard, and whilst she is spooky, she's apparently (her eye had been removed before I knew her) always been an anxious mare anyway, and losing the eye didn't really change anything. She's now retired but carried on being ridden as normal for many years after it was removed.

I hope that there is no long term damage for your little cob, but even if there is, it probably won't be as bad as your daughter is worried about.

 

[Cragrat]

No personal experience of that type of injury, but a friends horse tore an eyelid quite badly, and it healed really well. You got a vet quickly, which is apparently key with eye injuries, so hopefully yours will heal well.

Not the same, but my brother once had his eye damaged by a goat's antler - you could see the gash across his eyeball. It healed remarkably quickly, and with no lasting scar or vision issues.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

My pony had an eye injury, don’t know how and it caused a large ulcer. I’ve had an ulcer and they are so painful. I’d keep him out of any sunlight for at least the first week, which you’re already doing. Also I’d say don’t let him roll and be careful about dust getting in the eye.vet came out as an emergency as he only had one eye. I also used an ice pack, wrapped in a tea towel, for a few minutes couple of times a day, as his eye was a bit swollen. The ulcer healed so quickly the vet was amazed. Hope this helps.

 

[misst]

Over the years I've known 2 horses who had severe eye injuries, one on a twig sticking out and perforating the eye and the other severely damaged but unknown cause. Both had the eye removed and both did realky well. One was a child's PC pony and the other a nice all rounder. Both continued to compete at the same levels at before.

 

[asmp]

Our Appy had to have his eye stitched when he cut the lower lid on a bramble. He’s not had any problems since. The dun though bashed his eye on a fence post som years ago. That has caused problems with his internal eye but I just make sure now that he always has a fly mask on if there’s a chance of flies around and get the eye checked out by a vet now and then.

 

[nutjob]

One of mine came in with an eye injury, it looked like he'd stuck his head in a hedge and it was pierced by a thorn, the eye itself. He was given some antibiotic drops and it cleared up within a few days. It did look sore and was worrying at first.

 

[New Forests Rock]

My instructor's NF stallion lost an eye in a freak accident when covering a mare, eye was literally dangling out of it's socket so removed. However not only did he recover incredibly quickly but went on to sire so many more stunning ponies. Not saying this is going to be your outcome at all, but it didn't make a jot of difference to him.

 

[Exasperated]

Just after anybody who has dealt with eye injuries / recovery.

On Wednesday our little cob ended up with our welsh ponies tooth through his lower eyelid and the tooth resting on his eyeball and underneath his top eyelid.

Vets came straight away and removed it, swollen eye, had to have his bottom eyelid stitched back together and then left with bute and antibiotic cream for his eye. He’s got a fly mask on permanently and we’ve kept him in while is been sunny and bright.

The swelling is going down, and the discharge is a lot less, but obviously worried about long term damage, vets are back out tomorrow to have another look at him, all i keep on hearing is nightmare eye stories.

Anybody had an eye that has totally healed or with minimal damage, my daughter is terrified he will end up a one eyed pony.

Oooh, sets one’s teeth on edge!
Hopefully, it will heal quickly since you got such prompt attention. Eye injuries can look awful, yet recover spectacularly well.
What I would say - having had to have eyes removed from various cattle, and knowing a number of very successful one-eyed horses and ponies over the years - is that if it doesn’t heal up fairly fast, or looks to be ulcerating / infecting etc, is: forget ‘saving’ the eye and get it out asap.
Obviously discuss thoroughly with vet, but don’t prolong pain and risk worse due to squeamishness. I know someone who did this, multiple drops, dressings, trips to ophthalmic vet, stress and expense off the scale - until the whole gross mess just burst out anyway.
If taken out quickly and cleanly, the socket clears up fast.

 

[Natashaburrows]

Thank you so much everybody.

Vets have been out today and are really pleased with him, one of the stitches that they put into the very corner at the top of his bottom eyelid has rubbed and a bit of the eyelid has died so that’s been snipped off and he has a whole new look. The ulcer has got a lot smaller, a little deeper but that is due to the stitch rubbing, but you couldn’t tell until they put the green stuff in.

All in all he has been a very very lucky little pony, he’s not reacting to light in a negative way and we are hoping no long lasting damage.

My daughter and i were very much in the if it’s going to cause long term problems whip it out camp, he’s a quirky little pony but only my daughter rides him, and they have there own little language going on anyway.

Two very relieved humans today, and one welsh pony who caused the whole thing who doesn’t give a damn, apart from the bit of gum he lost where his tooth came out.