Spotlight on Ophthalmologic Pathology in Animals

A special issue of Veterinary Sciences (ISSN 2306-7381). This special issue belongs to the section "Anatomy, Histology and Pathology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 11793

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Centre de Diagnostic Vétérinaire de l’Université de Montréal, Département de Pathologie et Microbiologie, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
Interests: ocular pathology; eye neoplasia; histopathology; eye development

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Guest Editor
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
Interests: optical coherence tomography; corneal surgery and regeneration and ocular pathology

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Guest Editor
Charles River Laboratories, Montreal, Québec, QC H9X 1C1, Canada
Interests: toxicologic pathology; veterinary pathology; ocular pathology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

There is an ever-increasing awareness of ocular diseases by owners and veterinarians, and diagnostic tools and treatment modalities are increasingly available. Animals are also models for several human diseases, and ophthalmic disorders are no exception.

In this context, ophthalmologic pathology can play a key role in understanding the pathogenesis of ocular diseases and in the development of novel therapies. The eye is a complex, heterogeneous organ, starting from embryologic development involving all three germ layers (ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm), where mature structures further encompass an interplay with many other systems (tegument, brain, muscles, etc.).

This Special Issue of Veterinary Sciences aims to collect and disseminate some of the most significant and recent research regarding ocular diseases in all animal species, with a focus on pathology. Authors are invited to submit relevant research studies and review articles. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  • Ocular development and embryogenesis;
  • Inherited eye disorders;
  • Ocular tumors;
  • Inflammatory eye diseases;
  • Ocular toxicity of exogenous compounds;
  • Animal models of ophthalmic diseases.

Dr. Marie-Odile Benoit-Biancamano
Dr. Maria Vanore
Dr. Typhaine Lejeune
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • ocular pathology
  • eye neoplasia
  • histopathology
  • ophthalmic examination
  • ocular imaging
  • ocular toxicity

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 3040 KiB  
Article
A Pilot Study to Evaluate the Usefulness of Optical Coherence Tomography for Staging Iris Pigmented Lesions in Cats
by Hiroyuki Komatsu, Minori Akasaka, Maresuke Morita, Kensuke Usami, Mao Inagaki, Kayo Kumashiro, Kinya Tsubota, Yoshihiko Usui, Hiroshi Goto and Yoshitaka Kobayashi
Vet. Sci. 2024, 11(6), 261; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci11060261 - 7 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1638
Abstract
This study investigated the utility of optical coherence tomography (OCT) for staging iris pigmented lesions in cats. Eighteen cats that underwent OCT examination for unilateral iris pigmented lesion were included. The cats were either suspected of melanosis due to clinical features (n [...] Read more.
This study investigated the utility of optical coherence tomography (OCT) for staging iris pigmented lesions in cats. Eighteen cats that underwent OCT examination for unilateral iris pigmented lesion were included. The cats were either suspected of melanosis due to clinical features (n = 8) or had been definitively diagnosed through histopathology with iris melanosis (n = 3), early feline diffuse iris melanoma (FDIM) (n = 4), or mid-stage or advanced FDIM (n = 3). From OCT images, mean iris thickness (MIT) was measured, and the ratio of pigmented lesion to normal iris (PN) was calculated. OCT images depicted the entire iris layer in all eyes with suspected melanosis, iris melanosis, and early FDIM, but observing the entire lesion in mid-stage/advanced FDIM was challenging. No significant difference in MIT was observed among the groups. Conversely, PN ratio was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in early FDIM (1.29 ± 0.16) than in suspected melanosis (1.02 ± 0.10) or iris melanosis (0.99 ± 0.09). Furthermore, OCT imaging revealed hyperreflective lines in 75% of eyes with suspected melanosis and in all the eyes with iris melanosis, corresponding to the pigmented lesions. Our results demonstrate that OCT is capable of detecting subtle differences in iris thickness and features in early-stage FDIM, indicating its potential utility in distinguishing between iris melanosis and early FDIM. Further study is warranted to verify the reliability of such OCT findings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spotlight on Ophthalmologic Pathology in Animals)
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13 pages, 3727 KiB  
Article
Wildlife–Livestock Host Community Maintains Simultaneous Epidemiologic Cycles of Mycoplasma conjunctivae in a Mountain Ecosystem
by Jorge Ramón López-Olvera, Eva Ramírez, Carlos Martínez-Carrasco and José Enrique Granados
Vet. Sci. 2024, 11(5), 217; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci11050217 - 14 May 2024
Viewed by 2408
Abstract
Infectious keratoconjunctivitis (IKC) is an eye disease caused by Mycoplasma conjunctivae that affects domestic and wild caprines, including Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica), a medium-sized mountain ungulate. However, its role in IKC dynamics in multi-host communities has been poorly studied. This study [...] Read more.
Infectious keratoconjunctivitis (IKC) is an eye disease caused by Mycoplasma conjunctivae that affects domestic and wild caprines, including Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica), a medium-sized mountain ungulate. However, its role in IKC dynamics in multi-host communities has been poorly studied. This study assessed M. conjunctivae in Iberian ibex and seasonally sympatric domestic small ruminants in the Natural Space of Sierra Nevada (NSSN), a mountain habitat in southern Spain. From 2015 to 2017, eye swabs were collected from 147 ibexes (46 subadults, 101 adults) and 169 adult domestic small ruminants (101 sheep, 68 goats). Mycoplasma conjunctivae was investigated through real-time qPCR and statistically assessed according to species, sex, age category, year, period, and area. The lppS gene of M. conjunctivae was sequenced and phylogenetically analysed. Mycoplasma conjunctivae was endemic and asymptomatic in the host community of the NSSN. Three genetic clusters were shared by ibex and livestock, and one was identified only in sheep, although each host species could maintain the infection independently. Naïve subadults maintained endemic infection in Iberian ibex, with an epizootic outbreak in 2017 when the infection spread to adults. Wild ungulates are epidemiologically key in maintaining and spreading IKC and other shared diseases among spatially segregated livestock flocks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spotlight on Ophthalmologic Pathology in Animals)
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14 pages, 5460 KiB  
Article
Impact of Equine Ocular Surface Squamous Neoplasia on Interactions between Ocular Transcriptome and Microbiome
by Lyndah Chow, Edward Flaherty, Lynn Pezzanite, Maggie Williams, Steven Dow and Kathryn Wotman
Vet. Sci. 2024, 11(4), 167; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci11040167 - 7 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1745
Abstract
Ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN) represents the most common conjunctival tumor in horses and frequently results in vision loss and surgical removal of the affected globe. Multiple etiologic factors have been identified as contributing to OSSN progression, including solar radiation exposure, genetic mutations, [...] Read more.
Ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN) represents the most common conjunctival tumor in horses and frequently results in vision loss and surgical removal of the affected globe. Multiple etiologic factors have been identified as contributing to OSSN progression, including solar radiation exposure, genetic mutations, and a lack of periocular pigmentation. Response to conventional treatments has been highly variable, though our recent work indicates that these tumors are highly responsive to local immunotherapy. In the present study, we extended our investigation of OSSN in horses to better understand how the ocular transcriptome responds to the presence of the tumor and how the ocular surface microbiome may also be altered by the presence of cancer. Therefore, we collected swabs from the ventral conjunctival fornix from 22 eyes in this study (11 with cytologically or histologically confirmed OSSN and 11 healthy eyes from the same horses) and performed RNA sequencing and 16S microbial sequencing using the same samples. Microbial 16s DNA sequencing and bulk RNA sequencing were both conducted using an Illumina-based platform. In eyes with OSSN, we observed significantly upregulated expression of genes and pathways associated with inflammation, particularly interferon. Microbial diversity was significantly reduced in conjunctival swabs from horses with OSSN. We also performed interactome analysis and found that three bacterial taxa (Actinobacillus, Helcococcus and Parvimona) had significant correlations with more than 100 upregulated genes in samples from animals with OSSN. These findings highlight the inflammatory nature of OSSN in horses and provide important new insights into how the host ocular surface interacts with certain microbial populations. These findings suggest new strategies for the management of OSSN in horses, which may entail immunotherapy in combination with ocular surface probiotics or prebiotics to help normalize ocular cell and microbe interactions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spotlight on Ophthalmologic Pathology in Animals)
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12 pages, 4497 KiB  
Article
Morphological Evaluation of Transscleral Laser Retinopexy in Rabbits: Comparison of Optical Coherence Tomography and Histologic Examinations
by Maria Vanore, Tristan Juette, Javier Benito and Marie-Odile Benoit-Biancamano
Vet. Sci. 2023, 10(9), 535; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci10090535 - 23 Aug 2023
Viewed by 1467
Abstract
Transscleral retinopexy is a preventive technique used against retinal detachment. Fundus examination can allow the monitoring of morphological retinal changes in the progression of photocoagulation lesions, without offering details on the morphological changes by the retinal lesion. The aim of the study was [...] Read more.
Transscleral retinopexy is a preventive technique used against retinal detachment. Fundus examination can allow the monitoring of morphological retinal changes in the progression of photocoagulation lesions, without offering details on the morphological changes by the retinal lesion. The aim of the study was to assess the progression of photocoagulation lesions induced by transscleral retinopexy (840 nm diode laser), by comparing the optical coherence tomography (OCT) and histological images over a period of six weeks on eight pigmented New Zealand healthy rabbits (four males and four females; n = 16 eyes). All rabbits underwent transscleral retinopexy on their left eye on day 0 (D0). Measurements of the photocoagulation lesions were obtained in vivo on D0, D7, D15, D21, and D42 by acquiring OCT images of both eyes from all rabbits. On D1, D7, D21, and D42, two rabbits were euthanized, and their eyes were enucleated. A significant effect by time on the decrease in the central retinal thickness of the photocoagulation lesion was observed from D1 to D7 (p = 0.001); however, no such effect was observed on the horizontal length ((HL) p = 0.584) of the lesion surface. The reliability between the OCT and histological measurements, which were evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficients, was excellent for measuring the retinal thickness at the center (ICC = 0.91, p < 0.001), moderate for the right side of the retinal lesions (ICC = 0.72, p = 0.006), and not significant for the left side and HL (p = 0.055 and 0.500, respectively). The morphological changes observed in the OCT and histopathological images of the photocoagulation lesions were qualitatively described over time. OCT is an effective tool for monitoring changes in photocoagulation lesions. Some measurements and qualitative changes showed an adequate correlation between the OCT and histological findings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spotlight on Ophthalmologic Pathology in Animals)
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Review

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11 pages, 2833 KiB  
Review
Clostridium perfringens Type D Epsilon Toxin Causes Blood–Retinal Barrier Microvascular Damage and Diffuse Retinal Vasogenic Oedema
by John W. Finnie
Vet. Sci. 2024, 11(1), 2; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci11010002 - 19 Dec 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3018
Abstract
Clostridium perfringens type D epsilon toxin (ETX) causes severe retinal microvascular endothelial injury in the rat. The resulting blood–retinal barrier (BRB) breakdown leads to increased vascular permeability, which was detected immunohistochemically by the extravasation of plasma albumin as a vascular tracer, and ensuing [...] Read more.
Clostridium perfringens type D epsilon toxin (ETX) causes severe retinal microvascular endothelial injury in the rat. The resulting blood–retinal barrier (BRB) breakdown leads to increased vascular permeability, which was detected immunohistochemically by the extravasation of plasma albumin as a vascular tracer, and ensuing severe, diffuse, vasogenic retinal oedema. This microvascular damage was also confirmed by a loss of endothelial barrier antigen, a marker of an intact BRB in rats. Since similar microvascular lesions are found in EXT-exposed laboratory rodent and sheep brains, and the BRB resembles the BBB, they are also likely to occur in the eyes of naturally epsilon-intoxicated sheep and goats, but this remains to be determined. Moreover, while retinal oedema is a common and important component of many human and veterinary ocular disorders, more effective treatments are required. Accordingly, the retinal vasogenic oedema reliably and reproducibly induced by ETX in rats provides a useful model in which to study the pathogenesis of retinal oedema development and evaluate its prevention or amelioration by putative pharmacological interventions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spotlight on Ophthalmologic Pathology in Animals)
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