# Thoughts on eye watering



## charterline (17 July 2016)

My horse has one eye that's been a bit runny for few days. It's clear fluid, very runny, and not gloopy at all. It doesn't appear to be bothering her in anyway at all.

I've got some (human) infected eye drops, which I've been using; can't really tell if they've made much difference or not yet. 

Obviously I'm aware my horse only has one pair of eyes, and if I thought that the problem needed an emergency vet call out over the weekend, I'd have done it; but as it is, it is not what I'd class an "emergency".

I did wonder if it was worth getting some cream, as the drops are quite hard to get in, and thought cream might be a bit better, and potentially trying a fly mask as well. 

If your going to write any nasty comments, please don't bother, I am merely wanting to get thoughts on the situation from other people.


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## Tyssandi (17 July 2016)

Why would anyone leave bad comments, when you ask a question??

I personally would get the vet when it comes to eyes, never take the risk - a livery did here - they delayed and delayed then  it was found to have ulcers and ended up 3 months at the vets.   I also have had horses with uveitis and cataracts so would never leave it without being checked.  Don't put creme in till you know what the cause is as you could make matters worse.


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## Starzaan (18 July 2016)

Eyes are ALWAYS an emergency. People would leave mean comments because we have been through the heartache of dealing with horses losing their sight and even their eyes. 

I have a completely blind mare retired in the field. She was eleven when she lost her sight. It started with watery eyes and even though the vet came straight out the first day I noticed them, she still ended up blind. 

Also, NEVER EVER EVER use human products, or ANY product on an eye before a vet has seen it and prescribed you something. If the eye is watery due to ulceration you could end up causing your horse to lose its eye by shoving the wrong stuff in there.


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## Mrskyfall (18 July 2016)

My horses has runny eyes at this time of year. I had the vet a couple of years ago about it and it was decided that for them, it was fly irritation and bright sunlight. They always wear fly masks during the day, not the fringe type but ones with UV protection and this has helped hugely. If I take the masks off during the day, eyes becomes watery quite quickly.  I do agree with other posters, vet is always a good call, just to be sure.


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## applecart14 (18 July 2016)

I think its common sense, if the horse is rubbing its eye because its itchy it will cause it to become inflamed.  If a horse has 'fly eye' every year without fail you are on a pretty safe bet that it is the same thing again.

I have never got the vet out for my horses eye because I know that it is itchy and that is why he is rubbing it.  If it got worse or didn't get better with the application of eye drops then I would get the vet out.  There were three of us the year before last using eye drops which we kept in a sterile environment in the fridge at the yard because our horses had fly eye.

Its one of those things where you have to make a judgement call based on your knowledge of the horse its environment and its history.  If I said to people "YOU HAVE TO GET THE VET OUT" everytime if there horse had a bit of mild gassy colic most people would lunge the horse to get rid of the gas, and then monitor the horse to check it was back to normal afterwards.  But there would be a number of people that would err on the side of caution and call the vet out immediately.  Again past experience is what we all have in order to guide us and there is no right or wrong answer imho.

Obviously if the horse can't open its eye, has cut its eye or eye lid, is reluctant to look at light, or is obviously in pain you call the vet immediately.


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## applecart14 (18 July 2016)

TYSSANDI said:



			Why would anyone leave bad comments, when you ask a question??

I personally would get the vet when it comes to eyes, never take the risk - a livery did here - they delayed and delayed then  it was found to have ulcers and ended up 3 months at the vets.   I also have had horses with uveitis and cataracts so would never leave it without being checked.  Don't put creme in till you know what the cause is as you could make matters worse.
		
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I got slaughtered on here for not calling the vet and treating my horses fly eye, which cleared up after a couple of days.  That is why the OP is reluctant to ask the question and has put what she did about nasty comments.


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## Goldenstar (18 July 2016)

applecart14 said:



			I got slaughtered on here for not calling the vet and treating my horses fly eye, which cleared up after a couple of days.  That is why I the OP is reluctant to ask the question and has put what she did about nasty comments.
		
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I treat fly eye myself too .
And I treat it a human product that the vets confirmed is fine to use .
It a horse has fly eye I stable it and treat it leave in the stable well covered in fly spray , they will immediately improve by that I within the hour.
If they don't improve immediately you need the vet .


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## Gloi (18 July 2016)

We have a horse which gets runny eyes a lot. This is an ongoing problem rather than an occasional fly problem. The horse gets her tear ducts washed out every few months by the vet and this fixes it for a while until they start to gunge up again.


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## catembi (18 July 2016)

Mine gets clear runny eyes every year as he gets hay fever.  Pollen-ex helps him a lot.


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## OLDGREYMARE (19 July 2016)

My vet said eye problems are always an emergency,I was dithering one Friday afternoon whether to call the vet or not and horse turned out to have uveitis.


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## tatty_v (19 July 2016)

I would call the vet to be on the safe side.  If it turns out to be something relatively harmless like irritation from the flies then at least you'll know and I'm sure your vet would give you advice on how to manage it if occurred again. However, we've had horses with uveitis and ulcers that looked like "fly eye" and sadly that can result in the horse being in considerable pain and in the worst cases the eye being removed. Although there are human eye medications that are used in horses, I wouldn't put anything in without checking with your vet first. Hope your horse gets better soon x


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## beccylovespurple (19 July 2016)

Mine get watery eyes from flies if I'm not proactive with prevention. The first thing I do is to stick fly repellent and/ or a mask on. It's no good treating the symptoms and not the cause. Normally, they are fine the next day but I would call the vet straight away if the leakage is anything other than clear, if they are itchy or it doesn't clear right away.


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## vanrim (23 July 2016)

OLDGREYMARE said:



			My vet said eye problems are always an emergency,I was dithering one Friday afternoon whether to call the vet or not and horse turned out to have uveitis.
		
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Yes my horse started with a slightly runny eye. I thought nothing of it at first but it turned out to be the start of uveitis.


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## Charlie007 (23 July 2016)

My chestnut lad suffers with a pollen allergy and his eyes water terribly if I don't put his fly mask on so he lives in it during the summer.

The new lad had a sore eye last year. I left it a few days as vet was coming for annual jabs anyway.  He found something there ( can't remember what it was) but he gave me eye drops and within 24 hours his eye was fine. He also now lives in his fly mask during the summer.


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## SEL (8 August 2016)

Pink skinned Appaloosa always gets weepy eyes whenever she manages to get her fly mask off in the field. I use cold tea on her eyes and if there isn't an improvement within 24 hours then I call the vet.


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