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Posted by HeyRady PS - If her eye seems sensitive to the light you can take a dark wash cloth or bandanna and duct tape it to the outside of a fly mask to cover that
on 8/1/2012, 11:51 am, in reply to "Ok, I need my one eyed horse panel advice!"
24.7.167.65 | Message modified by user HeyRady 8/1/2012, 1:34 pm
That would only lead to an infection and a bunch of crud always getting into their socket. I wonder if the stitches tore apart somewhere along the line and they never had it sewn back up?
The two choices after the eye is removed is to put a ball into the socket and sew the eye lids together, so it looks like there is still an eye in there but the eye always looks closed (much more appealing). The second option is to sew the eye lids together, which eventually leads to the skin sinking in and conforming to the inside of the socket. It looks like a hole in the side of their head covered with skin (scares the hell out of any poor child that sees it).
The one horse we had here came to us with her eye already gone but the second horse had to have it removed while he was here. The eye was already really cloudy and the vet said that it was crushed and damaged when the eye socket was crushed by a tree falling on him. We knew he couldn't see out of it but it didn't seem to bother him at first. Then it started watering a lot and it seemed to bother him in the daylight (he was squinting a lot). Once his puppy dog personality turned mean, we knew the eye was hurting him too much and had to go.
After his surgery he stayed at the vet for 5 days and when he came home he was wearing what looked like a fly mask with a hard cup over the eye that was removed. I had to take the mask off each day and change the cotton batting that was in the cup to soak up any drainage. He had a little blood drainage out his nose too. I think he only needed to wear the mask for 3 weeks but he only needed it so he wouldn't hit his eye and open it back up. I don't think you would need to wear it that long if there wasn't a ball in there.
If the mare doesn't seem to be squinting a lot or in pain then maybe the eye just has an infection. If it does, and she is put on meds to clear it up, then it shouldn't ooze or be gross anymore and I would think it could stay.
I think that covers it but if there is anything else you want to know just ask 
eye and protect it from light. I had it taped from the bottom of the ear to the center of the face to make sure that there is minimal light that can get in there.
Lori Finch
Owner & Manager of Paradise Acres Equine Retirement.
www.paradiseacres.net
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