Here is an image taken of focal lesions on the retina of an Eagle owl. They seem to have no effect on the bird’s vision but what are they and should we be concerned? Oh and what is the black slug lurking at the bottom of the picture?!
The black slug is the pecten, a pleated sheet of the choroid which protrudes into the fluid posterior vitreous to provide nutrition and oxygen to the retina. But I’m really not sure about the focal dots on the retina. Here is another view.
Chris Murphy published a similar picture in his Raptor Ophthalmology paper in the Compendium of Continuing Education back in 1987 and I seem to remember said they occured after light damage but please forgive me if I’ve remembered that wrong Chris. What do you think they are?
I have seen similar lesions in other species of owls. At this moment i’ve aStrix aluco with lesions resembling the ones on the photos. I always assumed that it was some kind of scarring after corioretinitis. The lesions i’ve seen are depressed in the retina.
I’m surely looking for the right answer.
Thank’s
fungal infection?