Management of ocular setariasis in equine: a report of 15 cases

The present report is about the successful surgical retrieval of eye worms in 15 horses. Most of the animals were presented with lacrimation, photophobia, and varying degrees of corneal opacity. On ophthalmic examination, worms appeared like moving white threads in the anterior chamber. Animals were restrained with xylazine-ketamine general anesthesia. Regional nerve blocks were given to minimize eyeball movements and a 2-3 mm clear corneal incision near the limbus at the 10-2 O'clock position of the eyeball was given to retrieve worms. With a single incision, worms were successfully removed in all the cases. Bolus of Ivermectin was given orally along with analgesic and antibiotics eye drops postoperatively. The vision was restored and corneal opacity subsided within 10-20 days post-surgery.