A multicentre study of long-term follow-up and owner satisfaction following enucleation in horses.

Summary

# Editorial Summary: Long-term Outcomes and Owner Satisfaction Following Equine Enucleation Owner reluctance to pursue enucleation in horses with end-stage ocular disease often stems from uncertainty about post-operative quality of life and functional capability, yet published evidence examining satisfaction outcomes has been sparse. Wright, Ireland and Rendle conducted a multicentre follow-up study to characterise owner attitudes and satisfaction in horses that had undergone unilateral eye removal, assessing both immediate acceptance of the procedure and longer-term perceptions of their horses' wellbeing and ridden performance. The findings demonstrated that horses returned successfully to a range of disciplines post-enucleation, with owner satisfaction levels substantially higher after surgery than anticipated beforehand—suggesting that pessimism about the procedure often reflects lack of information rather than genuine functional limitation. For equine professionals managing ocular disease, these results provide evidence-based reassurance to offer clients facing this decision, emphasising that unilateral enucleation need not preclude return to work or compromise the horse's quality of life. The study underscores the importance of clear pre-operative counselling about realistic post-operative expectations, as owner satisfaction appears driven largely by informed decision-making and subsequent observation of the horse's adaptive capacity.

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Key Findings

• •Horses return to various disciplines following unilateral enucleation
• •Owners of horses with ocular disease are frequently reluctant to consider enucleation as a treatment option
• •Limited published data exists on owner attitudes and satisfaction outcomes following the procedure

Conditions Studied

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