Is it cataracts?

[Collytown]

I have vet coming tomorrow, but my 3 year old eyes have a cloudy part in both eyes, it does look similar to cataracts but rather then being in the middle of the eye it is at each corner, does this sound like it could be cataracts or has she just injured them.

Any thoughts would be great as I am stressing enough at the mo as am going through my first gelding tomorrow too, really could do without something else to worry about.

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Could be cataracts but I'd be surprised if such a young horse had them. Cloudy corneas happen when the cornea is under attack. This can be bacterial, fungal, viral or sometimes an auto immune disease where the body start to attack its own tissues. If your ned has had conjunctivitis or weepy fly-ridden eyes then in some cases, if not treated, this can become superficial keratitis, where the inflammation starts to penetrate the cornea. Sometimes there is uveitis involved too - that's where there is damage going on INSIDE the eyeball. Is your horse prone to conjunctivitis? Or blocked tear ducts? Or had Equine Herpes? Or have you at any stage put substances such as Optrex or Golden Eye Ointment in your neds eyes? If you have any concerns at all after the vet has been tomorrow, ask for a referral to a specialist clinic - eyes are very precious and things can deteriorate very fast.

 

[Collytown]

Thank you for your thoughts. She did have yucky eyes about 5 weeks ago and I put some ointment in (cant remember name small white and orange tub) and it cleared up within 24 hours and she has been fine since. One eye is a little weepy, no gunk but think it is a painful for her. Unfortunately we dont have a specialist eye clinic here so fingers crossed its easily treatable.

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Take great care C. Don't put anything in a horse's eye that you wouldn't happily put in your own eye. By putting the wrong thing in at the wrong time, you risk making things worse. One of the most dangerous problems with sore eyes is putting creams into the eye from the sharp, pointy end of a little tube. My horse lost a 6 month battle to save his eye after the livery staff stabbed him in his bad eye with the sharp end of the very cream that was supposed to be helping him. One jerk from a horse at exactly the wrong moment and you can gravely damage the cornea or even penetrate the eyeball. Sunny was boxed over 80 miles to a superb clinic that had an eye specialist. If the eye deteriorates, please do remember that chronic minor problems (ie things that aren't treated properly and so go on for years) can suddenly become major.

What did the vets say today??? If in doubt, get a referral.