title: Assessment of intraocular measurements in neonatal foals and association with gender, laterality, and body weight: a clinical study.
abstract: Objective of this study was to describe intraocular measurements in newly born foals (1-7 days of age) and assess the association between globe measurements and gender, laterality, and body weight. B-scan ultrasonographic biometry was performed on both eyes of 22 healthy foals (44 eyes) ages 1-7 days using a 10-MHz transducer. Intraocular measurements (anterior chamber depth, central lens thickness, vitreous chamber depth, axial globe length, longitudinal globe length, lens poles distance) were carried out using the ultrasound internal calipers. The influence of gender (male or female), laterality (right or left eye), and body weight ("light" <48 kg; "heavy" ≥48 kg) on ocular measurements was analysed by the Student t test. Values of P<0.05 were accepted as significant for all analyses. Mean anterior chamber depth was 2.2±0.5 mm (Standard Deviation); central lens thickness was 9.9±0.8 mm; vitreous chamber depth was 15.5±1.1 mm; axial globe length was 27.6±1.6 mm; longitudinal globe length was 35.8±1.2 mm, and lens poles distance was 16.4±1.0 mm. Intraocular measurements were not influenced by gender, laterality nor body weight. This study provides reference values for intraocular measurements in neonatal foals and may be useful in the diagnosis and treatment of congenital and acquired pathologies involving the globe.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia (BO), Italy.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Valentini
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia (BO), Italy.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Castagnetti
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Germaneto (CZ), Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Musella
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia (BO), Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Spinella
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001699:Biometry; D001835:Body Weight; D005123:Eye / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014463:Ultrasonography