Re: RC: eye ointments

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

In a message dated 3/7/00 2:32:32 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
pgentry@U.Arizona.EDU writes:

<< What are the major differences between human eyes and equine eyes that
 would contraindicate steroids for scratched eyes? I scratched my own eye
 last week and was soon suffering a protozoal infiltrate because I
 harassed it by rubbing my eye (duh). My eye doctor said that the protozoa
 are ubiquitous but not normally a problem unless the epithelium (outer
 cell layers of the eye) is damaged. She prescribed an antibiotic/
 steroid drop that cleared up the problem in a couple days, to my intense
 relief. She also said that the protozoa could do very serious damage in a
 very short time. The antibiotic was to clear up the infection, the steroid
 tamed the inflammation. So why are antiinflammatory steroids indicated for
 human eyes with scratches, but not for equine eyes with scratches? >>

No difference--but apparently your doc thought that the relief from the 
itching (and hence preventing possible further damage) outweighed the risk.  
I suffer from allergies and have also used opthalmics containing steroids to 
good effect, but they should be reserved for SPECIFIC cases in which there is 
indication for their use.

Heidi