The Horse Forum banner
Status
Not open for further replies.

Pinto with strange eyes

10K views 27 replies 13 participants last post by  Chickenoverlord 
#1 ·
I have been searching online for a looong time, looking for anything to answer my question about my Shetland Pony pinto.
Her eyes are both bright blue and her face is black, making them stand out a lot, but what's so weird is she seems to have second pupil and iris just over the natural pupil and iris. She seems to have no complications with sight and I would just like to know what this could possibly be? Her eyes are identical on both sides and each has this strange feature in them. If you can help me at all, this would be MUCH appreciated.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Well the blue eyes are easy they are due to a white pattern. Either frame or splash. Also I don't see how it's any way possible for an animal to have two pupils there would be to openings to the eye the light wouldn't be focused right if that did happen somehow, the animal I can guarantee you would be blind since light couldn't be focused correctly on the retina. I'm wondering what you're really seeing...
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#10 ·
You must take a picture Haley! And if this horse does have this disease there is no way this horse would not have vision problems. Proper regulation of light would be impossible.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#11 · (Edited)
Not necessarily. It entirely depends on the amount of light entering the eye, how distorted the "two pupils" are (It's actually only one pupil, but often the iris will stretch across, making it look like two.) A common effect is similar to how things look when your pupils are dialated. A common effect, however, is monocular diplopia - which is when more than one image is projected into the eye.

The effect can range from nothing to blindness. If the horse doesn't seem to be affected by it I'd guess the effect is pretty minimal. The iris can be wrongly developed and still do its job, and it has no effect on the rods and cones of the eye - I'd be interested to see a picture of the horse and the degree that his eye is affected.

EDIT: It could also be a condition known as multiple coloboma. Here's an article that discusses both of them:

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-0420.2007.00985.x/full#f1
 
#14 ·
Horses can also have iris cysts, which are more common in blue eyed horses. I've never actually seen one in a horse, but several in dogs, and they do somewhat look like "second pupils"...
These do not impair the vision at all, unless they are big enough to overlap the actual pupil.

I agree that pics would help.
 
#21 ·
The lighting is terrible and the reflection of her eyelashes over the dark spot makes it look like all that's there is a reflection. However in reality there is a very visible pupil like spot on one side and her other eye its more faint but still there. I'll try and get better pictures.

ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting
 
#24 ·
I can't tell for sure from your pictures, but I think that NdAppy is correct that it is the corpora *****. It does not really show on a lot of horses, but due to the lack of pigmentation, it shows well on your horse. I have six horses, and only one has a noticeable corpora *****.
 
#25 ·
It is really quite high above the Corpora *****, which leads me to think it is not the Corpora *****, however as Shoebox mentioned Polycoria is a factor. I'm not say its impossible that it isn't the Corpora *****. I will keep looking up different things. With all the suggestions you have all given me I have a lot of researching I can do to see if I can pin-point exactly what it is.
 
#26 ·
there is a bit of a glare on the photo, but it just may be a lot darker pigment in that blue eye.
there is some darker pigment running down from the iris, but not as dark.
I have seen some horses with brown and blue on the same eye and it is really quite strange appearing. Neat but strange.
And its odd, but I notice the copra negra on all my horses, they all have the 'little mountains' in thier eyes
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top