Equine Eye Welfare: Uveitis and Ocular Health

Key Welfare Considerations

• ERU involves repeated episodes of intraocular inflammation causing progressive welfare-impacting vision loss.
• The condition affects 2-25% of horses globally with significant breed variation — Appaloosas have highest prevalence.
• Welfare impacts include photophobia, blepharospasm, lacrimation, and ocular pain during active uveitis episodes.
• Progressive lens luxation, cataracts, and retinal degeneration from repeated inflammation cause welfare-impacting blindness.
• Leptospira bacterial infection is an important infectious cause — vaccination may reduce welfare risk.
• NSAIDs and topical corticosteroids are the primary welfare treatment for active uveitis episodes.
• Atropine reduces ciliary spasm pain — a welfare-important analgesic component of acute management.
• Cyclosporine ocular implants provide sustained local immunosuppression, reducing recurrence welfare frequency.
• Pars plana vitrectomy removes the vitreous humour, eliminating antigen reservoirs and welfare-reducing recurrence.
• Blind horses can maintain good welfare quality of life with appropriate management and environmental support.
• Familiar environment stability is welfare-critical for blind horses — sudden changes cause disorientation and anxiety.
• Companion animals provide welfare support for blind horses through auditory and tactile orientation.
• Dietary antioxidants may reduce oxidative stress welfare contribution to uveitis progression.
• Fly masks with UV protection may reduce light welfare discomfort for horses with uveitis.
• Welfare-focused management of ERU requires collaboration between owner, vet, and equine ophthalmologist.