Approximately 40 equine veterinarians engaged in conversation about equine ophthalmology during the Ophthalmology Table Topic session during the 2013 American Association of Equine Practitioners’ Convention, held Dec. 7-11 in Nashville, Tenn.

The session started with a discussion about diagnostic techniques for fungal keratitis (corneal inflammation) and also covered treatment modalities including antifungal medications, use of a subpalpebral lavage system for delivering medications to the eye, and when to change medications.

The attendees then moved on to discuss commonly and uncommonly used ophthalmic medications that equine practitioners need access to—whether that be on their truck, through a commercial pharmacy, or via a compounding pharmacy.

They also discussed the ethics of using compounded medications, including untested and unproved medications. The session finished with a discussion of equine recurrent uveitis, its diagnosis, and the possible involvement of the Leptospira bacteria.

This session was moderated by Amber Labelle, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVO, assistant professor of comparative ophthalmology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Veterinary Teaching Hospital, and Wendy Townsens, DVM, MS, assistant professor in ophthalmology at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine.