Incidence and management of ophthalmic problems in 600 ruminants with special reference to improved techniques, superficial keratectomy and nictitans flaps

Incidence of various eye disorders in ruminants and success rate of routine and improved surgical techniques were evaluated in 600 cases treated during 1992 to 2006 at referral hospital, animal health camps and visits. Most of the eye disorders were sporadic in nature except for infectious preseptal orbital cellulites with or without third eye lid abscess (177 cases, 29.5%) and outbreaks of caprine infectious keratoconjunctivitis with superficial central ulcers (40 cases). Thus second highest incidence was ulcerative keratitis and non ulcerative keratitis with corneal opacity and was seen in 171 animals (28.5%). Third highest incidence was growths and neoplasms of eye and was seen in 98 cows and bullocks (16.33%). Cataract was seen in 14 animals (2.33%) and rupture of eye ball with prolapse or uveitis in 13 cases (2.16%) of cattle and buffaloes. Eye lid trauma, myaisis, dermoid, chemosis of conjunctiva, uveitis, acquired entropion, ocular parasites, retinal blindness etc. were seen in 127 cases. Treatment consisted of antibiotic-antiinflammatory therapy for inflammations, extirpation of eye (48 cases) for extensive neoplasms and corneal suturing for rupture of eye ball. However, improved techniques designed in the present study consisted of incision and surgical drainage for preseptal orbital cellulites with or without third eye lid abscess (177 cases of buffalo calves), intraocular prosthesis using silicone (3 cow calves and 1 buffalo) for rupture of eye ball, intraorbital prosthesis using polymethylmethacrylate after extirpation of eye for neoplasms, superficial keratectomy with or without chemical cauterization or carbon dioxide cryotherapy for neoplasms involving limbus or cornea (50 cases), membrane nictitans flaps after keratectomy or corneal suturing (55 cattle and buffaloes), and nictitans flaps as supportive therapy for ulcerative keratitis (30 cattle, buffaloes and 11 goats). Carbon dioxide cryotherapy (10 cases) had no extra advantage than superficial keratectomy alone or combined with silver nitrate cauterization. Superficial keratectomy was found easy to perform, simple and less time consuming and saves vision when compared to extirpation of eye. Corneal suturing and membrane nictitans flap for ruptured eye balls avoided lengthy extirpation of eye. Surgical drainage provided for preseptal orbital cellulites in 177 cases was a new technique designed and avoided lengthy antibiotic and hot compressors treatment described in the literature. This technique required single treatment, required only one or two min and 100% effective in the reduction of the swelling and opening of palpebral fissure to allow vision.