Horses Needed for Moon Blindness Study

Moon blindness is a common term that refers to equine recurrent uveitis (ERU), a disease that causes chronic irritation of the eye and surrounding tissues. The Louisiana State University’s School of Veterinary Medicine is looking for horses with ERU that can participate in a study to investigate the role of bacterial infection in the development of the disease.

ERU is characterized by periodic episodes of inflammation causing irreversible damage to a horse’s eyes. It most commonly shows up in horses between the ages of 4 and 8, but can affect a horse of any age. Signs of ERU include sensitivity to light, squinting, tearing, reddening of the conjunctival membranes around the eyes, and eyes that appear yellow, white, or cloudy.

To get more information on the study, or to discuss donating a horse for the project, call Mike Keowen at 225-578-9500.