Eye Infections in Horses

Eye infections in horses are common but require prompt diagnosis and treatment to prevent permanent injury or blindness. Eye infections are caused by various bacterial viral fungal and allergen irritants. The two most common infections are conjunctivitis and equine recurrent uveitis which cause uncomfortable symptoms in the eye. A vet can diagnose the cause of your horses eye infection through a physical examination culturing and sometimes an MRI or CT scan. If you catch and treat an eye infection early the prognosis is typically optimistic but dependent on the stage of the infection and its cause. 

What Are Eye Infections?
An eye infection is a disease of the eye caused by harmful bacteria fungi or viruses. Horses can develop eye infections like conjunctivitis and equine recurrent uveitis ERU sometimes caused by injury to the eye or exposure to allergens like pollen and dust. Conjunctivitis causes the mucus membrane around the eye to swell and become red. ERU results in recurrent episodes of eye inflammation and is the most common cause of blindness in horses 1
Symptoms of Eye Infections in Horses
There are a variety of symptoms that point to eye infections in horses. An untreated eye infection is very painful for your horse and can lead to complications. Visit your vet right away if you suspect something is wrong with your horses eye.
Swollen Eyelids
Eyelid swelling can happen for a variety of reasons. In addition to blunt head injury and allergies an eye infection is a likely cause of swollen eyelids in a horse. Visit your vet if youre not sure whats causing your horses eye to swell.
Eye Discharge
While some eye discharge is a normal function of a healthy eye the type of discharge your horse is producing can indicate infection. Some tearing shouldnt be cause for worry but if the discharge is thick yellow or white and pussy an infection is probably to blame.
Tearing
If your horses eye is tearing excessively it may be a sign of ERU. Again some tearing is normal but pay attention to the volume of your horses tears.
Hazy Appearance of the Eye
Early in infection your horses eye may appear hazy or cloudy. A whiteish film over the eye may indicate ERU. There are many reasons a horses eye may look cloudy so pay a visit to your vet for a definitive diagnosis.
Redness and Inflammation
Redness and inflammation is the most common indicator of any eye infection and usually points to conjunctivitis