title: Glaucoma with Descemet's membrane detachment in five horses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the clinical and histopathologic features of glaucoma associated with Descemet's membrane (DM) detachment in five horses without prior history of intraocular surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three Appaloosa horses and two Thoroughbreds were included in this study. The affected horses ranged in age from 16 to 27 years and presented with severe diffuse corneal edema.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five eyes were enucleated due to intraocular hypertension and/or chronic corneal ulceration. The enucleated globes were evaluated by the Comparative Ocular Pathology Laboratory of Wisconsin (COPLOW). Each globe was routinely processed for histopathology and analyzed by light microscopy. A histologic diagnosis of glaucoma was reached by demonstrating a loss of optic nerve axonal tissue by measuring neurofilament-immunopositive axons with automated image analysis software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All five horses presented with unilateral severe diffuse corneal edema that had developed between 2 and 16 weeks prior to enucleation. Intraocular pressures for the affected eyes were between 9 and 87 mmHg prior to enucleation. Descemet's membrane detachment was identified histopathologically in all five globes (5/5, 100%). All five eyes had an avascular spindle cell proliferation filling the space between the displaced peripheral DM and the corneal stroma. Neurofilament immunostaining revealed axonal loss consistent with glaucoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Equine glaucoma may be associated with Descemet's membrane detachment. This detachment and glaucoma is a possible differential diagnosis for severe equine corneal edema. In this case series, an eye with a DM detachment had a poor prognosis for retention.
authors.affiliation: Comparative Ophthalmology Service, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, 1352 Boyd Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA.
authors.forename: Michala de Linde
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Henriksen
authors.affiliation: The Veterinary Medical Center of Long Island, 75 Sunrise Highway, West Islip, NY, 11795, USA.
authors.forename: Noelle
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: La Croix
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Comparative Ophthalmology, The Ohio State University, 1900 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
authors.forename: David A
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4237-0371
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Wilkie
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiological and Surgical Sciences, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lassaline-Utter
authors.affiliation: Northwest Animal Eye Specialists, 13020 NE 85th Street, Kirkland, WA, 98033, USA.
authors.forename: Karen R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Brantman
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, 200 Westboro Road, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA.
authors.forename: Gillian L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Beamer
authors.affiliation: Comparative Ocular Pathology Laboratory of Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin, 2015 Linden Dr. #3308, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.
authors.forename: Leandro B C
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9960-678X
authors.initials: LBC
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.affiliation: Comparative Ocular Pathology Laboratory of Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin, 2015 Linden Dr. #3308, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.
authors.forename: Richard R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Dubielzig
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015715:Corneal Edema / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary; D003886:Descemet Membrane / Q000293:injuries*; D015353:Eye Enucleation / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male
keywords: Descemet's membrane detachment; corneal edema; equine; glaucoma; ocular hypertension; ophthalmology