University of hargeisa

Faculty veterinary medicine

Class:4A
Course: clinic

Name: abdifataax awil abdi

ID:1615140

Lecturer: Dr Hamze hassan

EYES General Considerations

The eyes are situated in deep cavities of bones of skull known as orbit, which has prominent
edges to protect the eyeballs. Eyes are the organ of special sense “vision”. All animals have
two eyes. The anatomical situations and locations from the clinical examination point of view
are described here for various parts of eyes in animals.

1. Eyeball: Eyeball is situated in a cavity of bones known as orbit, and these are
protected by eyelids. The eyelids are composed of skin from outside and conjunctiva
inside. The borders of eyelids are called as eyelashes which contain long hair. Below
eye lashes, there are sebaceous glands; secretion of which lubricate eyes for their
smooth functioning, cleaning and protecting from various extrinsic causes.
2. Nictitating membrane: The nictitating membrane is also known as third eyelid and
made up of elastic cartilage covered by conjunctiva. It is located near the inner
canthus.
3. Conjunctiva: Conjunctiva is a membrane made up of fibrous tissue and epithelium.
It covers the inner surface of the eyelids and nictitating membrane. It has small glands
similar to that of lacrimal glands.
4. Lacrimal glands: Lacrimal glands are situated below the supraorbital processes and
their ducts are located near the nasal canthus and opens into the nostrils. The lacrimal
glands produce tears. 5. Harderian glands: Harderian glands are situated in a cavity
below the third eyelid and their secretions are useful means in lubrication of eyelids.
6. Sclera: Sclera is a fibrous membrane which is lined by conjunctiva externally. It
protects the blood vessels and gives rigidity to eyeball.
7. Cornea: Cornea is the transparent part of eyeball. Its anterior chamber contains
aqueous humor. The blood vessels are not present in cornea, so it derives nutrition
from neighbouring aqueous humor
8. Choroid coat: Choroid coat is a pigmented vascular membrane that lines the sclera.
9. Iris: Iris is a muscular structure with opening in center, which is called as pupil. It
acts as diaphragm.
10. Ciliary body: It is a ring of tissue consists of ciliary processes, which secretes
aqueous humor, and it has ciliary muscles to support.
11. Lens: The lens is composed of epithelium without vascular tissue. It takes
nutrients from aqueous humor.
12. Vitreous body: Vitreous body is a jelly like transparent structure lying between the
lens and retina.
13.Retina: It is connected to the brain through optic nerve. Its inner surface is
associated with vitreous body and outer surface with choroid.

Developmental Defects
1. Cyclops: In cyclops, there is only one eye in a new born due to fusion of orbits; this
condition is observed in monsters.
2. Anophthalmia congenitus: Anophthalmia congenitus is the absence of one or both
eyes in new born foal, calves, pups and piglets.
3. Microphthalmia: In this condition, one or both eyes become small. This condition
has been seen in dogs and pigs.
4. Ankyloblepharon: In ankyloblepharon, both eyelids are fused together during fetal
life.
7. Entropion: Entropion is the turning in of the eyelids which is common in foals and
dogs.
8. Microphazia: In this condition, the lens is small
5. Strabismus: The eye globes of both the eyes turn inward in strabismus condition
which has been observed in calves, dogs and cats. 6. Eutropion: Eutropion is the
turning out of eyelids. In this condition, mainly the lower eyelid is affected.
Diseases of Eye Eyelid
The inflammation of eyelid is known as blepharitis. The swelling of eyelids occur in
bowel edema, influenza, pink eye, traumatic pericarditis, foreign bodies in eyes,
chronic hog cholera, bite due to ants, malignant catarrhal fever, squamous cell
carcinoma, photosensitization, trauma and allergy, which may be unilateral or
bilateral. In tetanus, the upper eyelid forms obtuse angle due to swelling. The
excessive movements of eyelids has been observed in acute conjunctivitis, acute
keratitis, injury, hypomagnesemic tetany, lead poisoning, encephalitis and neoplasms
of eye. The eyelids are closed due to painful conditions of eyes like in conjunctivitis.
Blepharitis occurs due to dermatitis, canine distemper, trauma, conjunctivitis and
inflammation of lacrimal glands. Adhesions between eyelids occur due to blepharitis
and is known as ankyloblepharon. The conjunctiva of eyelid becomes united with
coverings of eyeball due to adhesions and the condition is called as symblepharon.
Conjunctiva
The inflammation of conjunctival membranes is the conjunctivitis which is associated
with chills and other infectious diseases. The conjunctivitis is caused by dust, sand,
pollen, Hemophilus parainfluenzae, Moraxella lacunata, Brucella sp., Listeria sp.,
Pasteurella sp., Staphylococci, Pseudomonas sp., E. coli, canine distemper, rinderpest,
trypanosomiasis, chemicals
Lens
1. Laxation: The rupture of ciliary body ligaments leads to displacement of lens into
anterior chamber resulting in opacity of cornea and glaucoma which occurs due to
non-filtration of aqueous humor. Trauma or congenital defects cause formations of
adhesions between lens and cornea leading to rupture of capsule and lens becomes
resolved.
2. Cataract: Cataract is the opacity of lens leading to blindness. It may be partial or
complete. Cataract occurs in four forms:
a. Subcapsular: The subcapsular cataract occurs in horses, dogs and birds due to
abnormal proliferation of lens.
b. Cortical: The cortical cataract occurs due to accumulation of inter-retinal fluid as a
result of altered metabolism of epithelial cells. It involves lens fibers which become
disintegrated and disorganized. The cortical cataract is most common in animals.
c. Lamellar: The lamellar cataract occurs in pups due to canine distemper virus or
vitamin D deficiency and it occurs between nucleus and cortex. d. Nuclear: The
nuclear cataract occurs as a senile change, in which fibers of centre becomes more
dense leading to dull and hazy nucleus.

Iris
The inflammation of iris is known as iritis which is responsible for anterior synechia
in which adhesions of iris to cornea occurs and leads to glaucoma. The adhesions of
posterior surface of iris to the anterior surface of lens capsule caused by iritis are
called as posterior synechia in which pupil is unable to dilate. The inflammation of
iris and ciliary body is termed as iridocyclitis or anterior uveitis. It occurs in horses
due to riboflavin deficiency, leptospira infection and hypersensitivity to leptospira and
is manifested by photophobia, blepharospasm, lacrimation, contracted pupil

Retina
1. Atrophy: Atrophy of retina occurs in dogs in which retina of both the eyes
becomes atrophied. It is manifested by night blindness leading to total blindness
which takes many years in an animal to become complete blind. 2. Detachment:
Detachment of retina occurs due to accumulation of excessive exudative fluid
and/or blood. The inflammatory conditions of choroid and retina also lead to
detachment of retina. The inflammatory exudate between retina and choroid
causes separation of each other; sometimes hemorrhages due to pricking of thorns
is also responsible for detachment of retina
Cornea
Inflammation of cornea is known as keratitis which is caused by dust, pollens,
husks and other infections causing conjunctivitis in animals. It is manifested by
photophobia, blepharospasm, edema of cornea, opacity and ulceration. The
infectious keratoconjunctivitis caused by Moraxella bovis induced endotoxins is
characterized by conjunctival inflammation, copious lacrimation, photophobia,
blepharospasms, fever, corneal opacity, ulcers in cornea and purulent discharge from
eye. Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus may cause mild conjunctivitis, congestion,
increased lacrimation and cloudy cornea condition

Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a condition in which the tension of fluid contents of the eyeballs is
increased. It is associated with obstruction to the drainage system of the eye and
leads to swelling and bulging of eyes.

Retention Cysts
The cysts produce the thickness of the eyelid due to small collections of pus in a tarsal
gland.
Hordeolum
In this condition, small amount of pus accumulates in root of one of the eyelashes. It
occurs one after another due to spread of infection from one to another follicle. It
causes pain and restlessness in animal.
Testing of Eye Function
The eyes can be examined by the presence of pupillary and corneal reflexes. The
test of vision is an important test of eye function which can be preferred by
rapidly opening of fingers infront of the eyes. The care should be taken that
hand of examiner should not touch the skin of animal. Animals with normal eyes,
close the eyes every time but in altered vision it will not happen. In an another
test, allow the animal to walk and put the obstructions on the way like box,
wood, rope, etc. The blind animal will stumble into obstruction while the normal
animal always avoids the obstruction. In ophthalmoscopy, the beam of light is
projected on animals eye and the illumination
of the pupil is observed. In case of opacity, the illumination of pupil will not take
place. In opacity, one can observe the streaks in the substance of lens by using
ophthalmoscope