Our Story: How Annie Lost Her Eye

Trigger Warning: this post contains sensitive images

This is my beautiful girl Annie. She’s a 2009 Holsteiner mare and in February 2023 she lost her right eye to a combination of Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU) and Corneal disease. We had been dealing with some ongoing eye issues for a few months before things really took a turn for the worse, and when it started to look like Annie may loose her eye, like anyone would, I started to panic. She was only 13 years old, in her prime, otherwise healthy, and we had goals and dreams to achieve together. I started frantically searching for examples of hunters who had similar stories and, while I found a few stories of jumpers, dressage horses and even eventers who went on to be successful (some at very high levels), I couldn’t find a single hunter.

Fast forward through A LOT of emotional turmoil, I decided I wanted to share our story everywhere I could so that if anyone else was looking for some glimmer of optimism through their own ocular journey, we might be a beacon of hope to show life doesn’t end post enucleation.

This is our story.

Annie’s eye troubles started in early 2022 with occasional tearing and swelling that was neither a concern, or consistent. Some flare ups that required a cream to treat, others that lasted just a day or two and calmed then passed on their own.

By late summer 2022 the flare ups were becoming more consistent and somewhat concerning in that it seemed to keep coming back after a round of treatment. The flare ups were swelling of the eye that caused her to squint and the eye to tear. Our vet prescribed ointments and creams that had to be administered directly into the eye sometimes 1-2x a day, for a course of 5-7 days at a time. Sometimes they would work, but it progressed to where the swelling never really went away, it just ranged from mild to moderate swelling.

Between episodes, where her eye was open and the swelling was mild, I could see what looked like a white spot of scar tissue. It was visible in plain sight and it was concerning. It was also blue-ish and increasingly cloudy.

While my incredible vet was doing everything she could, part of the problem was that there was no equine ophthalmologist where we lived and we were working with specialists across the country for opinions and diagnosis all online and through images and vet reports.

In December 2022 the swelling had progressed and it was becoming emergent where the eye wouldn’t even open on bad days and our vet was making emergency visits for her pain and discomfort. The treatment had also become more aggressive where two different kinds of ointments were now being administered directly into her (already painful) eye 6x daily! This lasted for almost two weeks and with almost zero response. The eye continued to stay swollen, and the constant tearing had now burned away the hair on her face.

Meanwhile, I had found a clinic that had an equine ophthalmologist that was across international boarders and was going to be a few weeks before we could get Annie in to see the specialist.

As we managed her discomfort and prepared to haul Annie to the new clinic south of the boarder, my vet continued to press (beg!) the local retired ophthalmologist in our area (well… 4 hours away) to come to our local clinic and examine Annie. In late January 2023 she agreed.

After her examination, the diagnosis was permanent loss of vision due to corneal disease and equine recurrent uveitis (ERU).

Due to the corneal disease, she had been losing vision in her eye slowly over time, and the blindness was permanent and irreversible. The uveitis (inflammation of the eye) was causing the swelling and tearing which was recurrent and would likely be persistent and painful. The recommendation for her comfort and overall heath was to remove her eye.

Her surgery was scheduled immediately and performed just days later in early February 2023.

Surprisingly, the procedure is relatively simple, and she was able to come home the day after. The recovery was also quite straightforward, and the aftercare was something I could manage on my own. Two weeks of stall rest (hand walking only) and a careful bandage change every 2-3 days. The actual wound was very clean (I was prepared for a stomach clenching scene with each bandage change) and it was crystal clear Annie had immediately found the relief she so badly deserved.

Because she had been losing her vision slowly over time and was essentially blind in that eye for probably weeks before her actual surgery, there wasn’t really a ton of accommodating we had to make for her. She literally only got happier, and it was an enormous improvement in her health immediately after surgery.

Our biggest challenge was keeping her from her boredom of stall rest. She couldn’t wait to go back to work. I knew I was going to take her lead on whatever she needed, however slow she needed to go, whatever patience and support she required, she was going to get. Whatever that was going to be.

I had no idea if she would be comfortable being ridden, being around other horses, if she would be anxious or stressed all the time…. It was all a mystery we took one day at a time.

It did not take long to learn that Annie didn’t want anything to change in her life. She LOVES her job and wasn’t going to let a silly-old-eye change that for her.

Over the first couple weeks, she learned to hear things differently and there was a short period of adjustment to her surroundings (like being in the arena while other horses are jumping, coming up behind/beside her) but after a couple weeks back under saddle we were jumping, lessoning, went to our first clinic, and off property training. In May 2023, just over 3 months post surgery, we were back in the show ring at our first show.

In the 2023 show season we showed in the 3’3” Amateur Owners division at Gold rated shows, competed in National Derbies and even won our first derby together.

To say I love this horse with all my heart is an understatement. I simply just don’t have the right words to describe it. Going through this with her has been so inspiring and such a special privilege to be a part of. She’s allowed me to chase my dreams, supported me, taught me, inspired me, given me confidence I needed in my life, and did it all while going through a life altering expereince herself. Again, I don’t have the words to do justice for the gratitude I have for her.

I decided to document our story through Instagram. From her painful days of treatment, to her surgery, recovery and return to being a happy healthy horse and our adventures in the Adult Amateur hunter show ring. I’ve had so much fun creating that content and welcome you to follow along.

If you’re going through similar circumstance, my heart is with you. It’s so scary, there are so many unknowns and I feel for what you’re going through. I hope Annie’s story gives you some hope that there is lots of life on the other side of enucleation and we wish you good health and happiness through it all.

@annietheoneeyedhunter started as a way to document her journey, but now, it’s a place we use to connect with fellow amateurs, and help people who are starting their own horse-girl journeys.

Whether you are thinking of buying your first horse, or returning to the show ring;

I’m glad we’ve found each other. Welcome, friend.