Concurrent clinical intraocular findings in horses with depigmented punctate chorioretinal foci

Abstract

To report concurrent clinical intraocular findings in horses with depigmented punctate chorioretinal foci and to document any correlation with equine recurrent uveitis (ERU). Records of 131 horses (241 eyes) examined at the University of Georgia Veterinary Teaching hospital from 2001 to 2010 were reviewed with either clinically normal fundi or depigmented punctate chorioretinal foci in the absence of other fundic pathology. Data collected included patient signalment, concurrent clinical ocular findings and follow-up information. Sex, presence of no other intraocular findings, presence of ERU, presence of cataracts, and presence of vitreal disease were compared between normal and foci groups using chi-squared analysis. Age and length of follow-up time were compared using a student's t-test. Ninety-one horses (167 eyes) with chorioretinal foci and forty horses (74 eyes) with clinically normal ocular fundi were examined. Fifty-eight (64%) horses with chorioretinal foci and 20 (50%) horses with clinically normal fundi had a normal intraocular examination. There was no significant difference in any of the criteria examined between groups. Horses with depigmented punctate chorioretinal foci, in the absence of other fundic pathology, are not more likely to have intraocular disease or ERU than horses with clinically normal ocular fundi. These findings suggest that depigmented punctate fundic foci in horses are not indicative of or associated with ERU.