Diagnostic value of infrared imaging in equine ophthalmology

Abstract

Diagnostic value of infrared imaging in equine ophthalmologyA thorough diagnostic investigation is an essential precondition for a successful therapy in all ocular diseases. Nowadays, a multitude of diagnostic means are available to the examiner, and yet there are areas of the eye that can prove to be inaccessible to further investigation for different reasons. One of those reasons can be opacities in the anterior segment of the eye. This publication introduces the method of infrared diagnostic imaging which allows visualization and examination of the anterior segment of the eye even through opacities and cloudiness of anterior ocular structures (cornea, anterior chamber, iris, pupil, lens). The accompanying figures demonstrate how certain ocular structures appear under "regular" conditions and in infrared digital imaging and thus illustrate the diagnostic potential of this method. In the opinion of the authors, the method of infrared digital imaging is a valuable addition to regular digital photography in equine ophthalmology. The acquisition of the required equipment (suitable digital camera) is low in cost when compared to the benefit that can be achieved with it.