Which condition is listed as a cause of blue cornea or corneal edema?

Which condition is listed as a cause of blue cornea or corneal edema?

• A. Glaucoma
• B. Uveitis
• C. Cataracts
• D. Retinal detachment

Answer: (A)

Blue cornea is a sign of corneal edema, and in horses the edema most commonly stems from glaucoma. When intraocular pressure is elevated, the corneal endothelium can’t pump fluid out of the stroma effectively, so fluid accumulates and the cornea takes on a blue, hazy appearance. Uveitis can cause corneal changes and sometimes edema, but the classic, most direct cause of a blue cornea is glaucoma. Cataracts affect the lens, not the cornea, and retinal detachment involves the retina, not the cornea, so they don’t produce this blue, edematous cornea.

Blue cornea is a sign of corneal edema, and in horses the edema most commonly stems from glaucoma. When intraocular pressure is elevated, the corneal endothelium can’t pump fluid out of the stroma effectively, so fluid accumulates and the cornea takes on a blue, hazy appearance. Uveitis can cause corneal changes and sometimes edema, but the classic, most direct cause of a blue cornea is glaucoma. Cataracts affect the lens, not the cornea, and retinal detachment involves the retina, not the cornea, so they don’t produce this blue, edematous cornea.