This appaloosa horse was referred to me with a blind but pain-free eye which seems to be enlarged.
It was impossible to see through the pupil so we use ultrasound to investigate the intraocular pathology, and what should we find but an alien in the posterior segment!
What on earth are we seeing?!
The eye has, as is common in this breed, experienced intraocular inflammation with the pupil becoming completely closed.
The intraocular pressure then rose increasing the size of the eye. An ultrasound scan at a slightly different angle shows an obliterated anterior chamber with the iris and cornea touching, a secondarily luxated lens and a retinal detachment. The ‘alien’ is actually a bunched up fold of retina viewed at an unusual angle.
The horse is not at all concerned about the eye, even though the intraocular pressure is 56mmHg, so we are not planning on doing anything apart from watching the other eye (currently completely normal) very carefully. And there I was hoping to publish a report of the first UFO identified in an animal eye!