Sight saver: how SPANA vets treated Med the horse’s painful eye condition

At the centre, our veterinary team examined Med’s eye carefully. They found that Med was suffering from a severe case of conjunctivitis and a blocked tear duct – most likely caused by the dusty roads Med travels every day.

Our vets set about treating Med using a specialised procedure called a nasolacrimal duct flush. They sedated Med, cleaned his nostril, then gently flushed his tear duct with a saline solution until the blockage had cleared. Next, the team administered some topical eye ointment to treat his conjunctivitis, and an anti-inflammatory to help reduce his swelling.

To ensure that Med’s eye was fully settled after the procedure and so that the vets could continue his treatment in a clean environment, Med was admitted to the centre’s stables for two days. When Med was able to return home, the vets showed Boune how to continue his horse’s medication and encouraged him to bring Med back to the centre in 10 days’ time for a check-up.