title: Effect of auriculopalpebral nerve block on Schirmer tear test I values in normal horses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare Schirmer tear test I (STTI) values collected in normal horses with and without an auriculopalpebral nerve block.
  
  
  METHODS
  Schirmer tear test I values were measured in 20 clinically normal horses (38 eyes) with a median age of 12 years. The order of eyes tested was randomized. Within 24-48 h, at the same time of day, tear measurements were collected again after administration of an auriculopalpebral nerve block. Each block was performed a minimum of 5 min prior to each STT I. A repeated-measures model was used to analyze differences between STT I values in eyes with and without nerve blocks incorporating within horse correlation between eyes. The mixed-model included fixed factors of treatment and eye and a random intercept for each horse. An unstructured covariance structure was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On average, STT I values measured in eyes after auriculopalpebral nerve blocks were 0.55 mm/min greater than those without nerve blocks. This difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.5268).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was no effect of auriculopalpebral nerve block on STT I values in normal horses.
authors: Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens, GA, USA.
authors: Hannah E
authors: HE
authors: Visser
authors: Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens, GA, USA.
authors: Kathryn A
authors: KA
authors: Diehl
authors: Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Florida, Gainsville, FL, USA.
authors: R David
authors: RD
authors: Whitley
authors: Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens, GA, USA.
authors: Kathern E
authors: KE
authors: Myrna
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D009407:Nerve Block; D009882:Ophthalmic Nerve; D012016:Reference Values; D013666:Tears
keywords: Schirmer tear test; auriculopalpebral; equine; horse; nerve block; tear