Symblepharon
Description of the Disease and Clinical Picture
Symblepharon represents the occurrence of adhesion of conjunctival tissue to another conjunctival surface and/or the cornea. This condition most commonly results from herpes viral and neonatal bacterial eye infections and/or periocular structures in cats, and very rarely can occur in dogs. Symblepharon often appears secondarily, as a result of serious corneal and conjunctival lesions. These lesions can occur due to the action of various factors: chemical, mechanical (which leads to injury of the conjunctival tissue and/or cornea), infectious (herpes virus infection, infections by other viruses and bacteria), or iatrogenic (after surgical interventions). Scarring of the cornea and adhesion of the conjunctiva to either the conjunctiva or the superficial layer of the cornea that lacks normal histological structure can be observed on the eye. Conjunctival edema and pathological eye discharge may occur. Due to adhesions, narrowing of the palpebral opening is observed, and eyelid mobility is reduced. If the adhesion is located in the area of the nasolacrimal canal opening, epiphora will occur as a result of impaired tear drainage.
 
Therapy
Clinical eye examination reveals symblepharon. Therapy is aimed at resolving the primary cause of this condition, reducing inflammation with anti-inflammatory drugs, and treating viral and/or bacterial infections. Existing adhesions are surgically removed. Surgically separated conjunctival surfaces or conjunctiva and cornea must be physically separated by a soft contact lens or silicone implants while the healing process takes place. This is necessary to prevent the formation of new adhesions, which is also the most common complication of surgical intervention.
 
Please contact our specialty veterinary ophthalmology hospital Animal Eye Consultants
of Iowa (animaleyeiowa@gmail.com) in USA or Oculus Veterinary Specialty Hospital
(oculusklinika@gmail.com) in Serbia, Europe to schedule an appointment so your pet
can be seen.