title: In vivo confocal microscopy of corneal microscopic foreign bodies in horses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe in vivo corneal confocal microscopy of horses with microscopic corneal foreign bodies and to correlate findings with clinical, cytological, and histopathologic evaluations of clinical cases and foreign body morphologies observed in vitro with the confocal microscope.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five horses with microscopic corneal foreign bodies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sedated and anesthetized horses were examined with a modified Heidelberg Retina Tomograph II and Rostock Cornea Module. Confocal microscopy images were compared with images from cytologic and histopathologic corneal samples. To establish microscopic morphologic features, confocal microscopy images of burdock pappus bristles and surgical glove powder were obtained by in vitro examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Horses were examined by in vivo confocal microscopy to assist in identifying corneal opacities detected by slit-lamp biomicroscopy, to determine the etiology of clinically idiopathic keratitis, or to localize corneal opacities presumed to be foreign bodies for surgical planning. Corneal foreign bodies presumptively identified by confocal microscopy included burdock pappus bristles, other plant foreign materials, and surgical glove powder. The corneal foreign bodies appeared as moderately or hyper-reflective linear, circular, or oval structures by confocal microscopy and did not resemble any normal anatomic structures. The confocal microscopic identification of the foreign bodies was corroborated by cytologic and histopathologic findings in some horses. The in vivo confocal microscopic appearance of the foreign bodies was consistent with morphologies observed during examination of foreign bodies in vitro.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In vivo corneal confocal microscopy provides a noninvasive method for the detection, characterization, and localization of microscopic foreign bodies in the equine cornea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
authors.forename: Eric C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Ledbetter
authors.forename: Nita L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Irby
authors.forename: Deanna M W
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Schaefer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology*; D005129:Eye Foreign Bodies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: cornea; foreign body; glove powder; horse; in vivo confocal microscopy; keratitis