Introduction To Equine Ophthalmology
Three hours on the equine eye exam many veterinarians were shown briefly in school and may not use routinely in practice. Dr. Rachel Allbaugh walks through the complete ocular evaluation, from head posture to fundus, and then demonstrates the step-by-step approach to subpalpebral lavage placement. These are two foundational skills that shape the assessment and management of complicated corneal cases in practice.
Clinical Review Date: April 2026 • RACE #20-1297187 • Provider ID #50-29055
CE Hours
3.0 Medical CE
Format
Live Webinar
Price
$120 (Standard)
Audience
DVMs & Technicians
Species
Equine
Status
RACE-Approved
Friday, May 8, 2026
Watch the recording and earn CE credit after a short quiz.
Part of a Bundle
Equine Excellence Series
Advanced equine CE across ophthalmology, cardiology, genetics, and dentistry
$399
6 lectures • 14 CE hrs
Part of a Bundle
Equine Ophthalmology Bundle
Intro + Advanced Equine Ophthalmology with Dr. Rachel Allbaugh, DACVO
$180
2 lectures • 6 CE hrs
Practical Takeaways for Your Practice
Organized clinical detail for the oral examination, common findings, periodontal disease, and referral decisions.
A Complete Ocular Evaluation You Can Actually Run
The order of operations Allbaugh teaches her ISU residents. Preliminary observation, vision assessment with obstacles, symmetry, pupils and PLR with retroillumination, then the handheld diagnostics. Keeps information gathering ahead of the moment the horse loses patience.
Sedation, Blocks, and Restraint That Actually Work
Xylazine/detomidine ± butorphanol protocols. The auriculopalpebral block over the zygomatic arch for orbicularis akinesia, and the frontal (supraorbital) block for upper-lid analgesia. These are the two blocks that change every exam from a wrestling match to a readable eye.
Subpalpebral Lavage, Top to Bottom
Indications, the MILA kit, trochar placement through conjunctiva and eyelid skin at the orbital rim (not distal), keeping the footplate flush and deep to avoid iatrogenic ulcers, securing with tape butterflies and mane braids, tongue depressor anchor at the withers, and medication sequencing including why voriconazole goes before anything that can sit.
SPL Troubleshooting From a 20-Year Operator
The fractious horse playbook (positive conditioning, distraction, pre-loading the line), continuous infusion options, repairing a leaking line with a 20-gauge catheter stent, and the narrow set of failures that actually require replacement rather than repair.
Course Abstract
Live Online Interactive Webinar • Case-Based • Sponsor-Free
Every equine practitioner encounters the red, painful eye. This introduction focuses on a systematic ocular exam that can be performed in practice and on the practical placement of a subpalpebral lavage system.
Dr. Rachel Allbaugh covers the complete ocular evaluation, including preliminary observation before handling the face, auriculopalpebral and supraorbital blocks, TonoVet technique with a normal range of 15 to 30 mmHg, fluorescein interpretation for ulcer depth and Seidel testing, direct, PanOptic, and indirect ophthalmoscopy, cytology and culture sampling, nasolacrimal duct flushing, and ocular ultrasound when the visual axis is obscured. She also covers subpalpebral lavage placement from start to finish, including the MILA 60-inch kit, footplate positioning in the fornix, tape butterfly and mane-braid routing, medication sequencing, and troubleshooting drawn from more than two decades of SPL management at Iowa State.
Session Agenda
Four one-hour clinical sections with questions after each topic.
Performing a Basic Equine Eye Exam
Subpalpebral Lavage Line Placement
Curriculum Overview
Two 1.5-hour lectures. 3.0 RACE-approved CE hours.
01. Equine Ocular Evaluation — Using Your Eyes, Instruments, and Ultrasound
1.5 HoursThe full equine eye exam the way Allbaugh teaches it at ISU. Dark-environment setup (including the blanket-over-head trick for field work), preliminary observation, vision assessment, PLR with retroillumination, fluorescein for ulcer depth and Seidel or Jones testing, TonoVet tonometry on equine calibration, direct and Panoptic ophthalmoscopy, indirect ophthalmoscopy with 20D/14D lenses, conjunctival and corneal cytology and culture technique, nasolacrimal flushing, and when to reach for ocular ultrasound (7.5/10 MHz, transcorneal vs. transpalpebral).
- Run a complete equine ocular exam in ambulatory and clinic settings
- Place auriculopalpebral and supraorbital nerve blocks for exam and minor procedures
- Interpret TonoVet, fluorescein, and PLR findings to localize disease
- Decide when ocular ultrasound changes the workup versus when handheld tools are enough
02. Subpalpebral Lavage — Placement and Troubleshooting
1.5 HoursIndications, contraindications, and the equipment list (MILA 60-inch kit, carbocaine or lidocaine, proparacaine, veterinary tape, suture or staples, rubber bands, tongue depressor). Upper vs. lower lid placement, trochar direction and depth, footplate positioning deep in the fornix to prevent iatrogenic corneal ulceration, securing the line to the face and routing through forelock and mane braids, catheter and port at the withers, medication delivery (0.1 to 0.2 mL liquid plus 2 to 3 mL air, 5 minutes between drugs, suspensions and voriconazole before serum or plasma), daily client monitoring, and line repair.
- Select horses for SPL placement and identify contraindications
- Place an upper- or lower-lid SPL with a footplate that will not ulcerate the cornea
- Sequence multi-drug treatment protocols safely through the line
- Repair leaking lines and handle fractious-horse complications without replacement
What's Included
Live Q&A
Ask questions in real time
Digital Notes
Downloadable lecture PDFs
Recording Access
Re-watch at your own pace
CE Certificate
RACE-approved, instant download
Clinical Resources
Downloadable guides and lecture notes to reinforce your learning and apply in practice.
Available for download immediately after registration in your Course Viewer.
Dr. Rachel Allbaugh, DVM, MS, DACVO
Dr. Rachel Allbaugh is a veterinary ophthalmologist and full professor at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, where she holds the Lora and Russ Talbot Endowed Professorship in Veterinary Medicine. A proud ISU alumna, she earned her BS and DVM degrees (Summa Cum Laude) at Iowa State before completing an internship in North Carolina and a veterinary ophthalmology residency and master's degree at Kansas State University. Board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists since 2008, she serves as Ophthalmology Service Leader and Residency Program Director at ISU's Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center. Her clinical expertise spans ophthalmic diseases and surgery across dogs, cats, horses, and exotic species — with particular depth in equine ophthalmology, having served as President of the International Equine Ophthalmology Consortium (2020–2022). Dr. Allbaugh has contributed more than 70 peer-reviewed publications and 200 presentations to the field.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Ophthalmic Exam You Thought You Were Doing
All tiers include 3.0 RACE-approved CE credits, digital notes, and recording access.
If your schedule changes, you'll still have access to the recording and notes.
Standard
- 3.0 Hours Live RACE-Approved CE
- Interactive Q&A with Dr. Rachel Allbaugh
- Digital Lecture Notes (PDF)
- Session Recording Access
- Official CE Certificate
Equine Excellence Series
Advanced equine CE across ophthalmology, cardiology, genetics, and dentistry
Full series • 14 CE hours • 6 lectures • 3 specialists
- 12-month VetOnIt subscription
- Printed lecture notes shipped
- Commemorative enamel pin (first 100 enrollees)
Includes this lecture plus 5 others
Equine Ophthalmology Bundle
Intro + Advanced Equine Ophthalmology with Dr. Rachel Allbaugh, DACVO
Full series • 6 CE hours • 2 lectures • 1 specialists
- Both ophthalmology lectures
- 12-month on-demand access to recordings
- RACE-approved CE certificates
Includes this lecture plus 1 other
Watch the Recording. Earn Your CE.
This lecture is now available on-demand. Watch Dr. Rachel Allbaugh's full 3.0-hour presentation at your own pace and earn RACE-approved CE credit after a short quiz.