Eye injuries in horses are welfare emergencies requiring same-day veterinary assessment as even apparently minor injuries can progress rapidly to sight loss.
Horse eye injuries cause acute, intense ocular pain - the pain associated with corneal ulceration in horses is significant and causes obvious behavioral signs including blepharospasm (eyelid spasm), excessive tearing, photophobia, and rubbing of the eye. Horses instinctively scratch affected eyes making self-trauma a significant complication risk requiring protective eye cups. Equine corneal ulcers can progress from simple superficial ulcers to melting ulcers with stromal dissolution within 12-24 hours when infected with Pseudomonas or fungal organisms. Appropriate analgesia, antibiotics, antifungals, and mydriatics are urgently required. Treatment delay - waiting to see if the eye improves, treating without professional assessment, or using inappropriate medications - significantly worsens prognosis and welfare.