Eyes right

Guard against sore, scratched or sun-damaged eyes this summer, with advice from Ria Chalder MRCVS

- Ria Chalder

SUMMER can play havoc with a horse’s eyes, with flies, UV light, pollen and dry vegetation all posing potential risks.

Houseflies (the small, black pest termed Musca domestica) are attracted to the tears produced by a horse’s eyes and can often be seen swarming around the face. As they feed and breed on sewage, animal dung and other waste products, they can transfer bacteria on to the eyes and cause an infection called bacterial conjunctivitis.

Often referred to as “fly-eye”, bacterial conjunctivitis can make the eyes weepy and red – often with a greeny-yellow discharge. The condition is not particularly painful. A mild bout can usually be managed by bathing the eyes twice daily with cotton wool pads soaked in sterile saline, or salty water that has been boiled and left to cool. The eyes should then be covered with a good-quality fly mask to prevent re-infection.

If this fails to improve symptoms within a day or two, call your vet. Any sign that your horse is squinting, or that one or both eyes seem painful, should be treated as a veterinary emergency.

Never buy over-the-counter eye drops for humans to treat your horse if you suspect that he has bacterial conjunctivitis. Using antibiotic drops without veterinary supervision increases the likelihood of resistant “superbugs” developing, which can make treatment of subsequent, more serious infections difficult. It also complicates matters if the infection fails to resolve and diagnostic tests are required.