reptile - Articles
Bullous spectaculopathy
Synonym(s): Pseudobuphthalmos
Introduction
- Cause: nasolacrimal obstruction or infection.
- Signs: spectacle enlargement -> protuberant opaque ocular mass.
- Diagnosis: clinical signs.
- Treatment: aspiration of the lacrimal fluid, surgical excision.
- Prognosis: generally good.
Presenting signs
- Enlarged spectacle.
- Opaque mass.
- May be associated with stomatitis Stomatitis.
Geographic incidence
- Common in captive reptiles worldwide.
Age predisposition
- No age predisposition.
- In young animals may be congenital.
Pathogenesis
Etiology
- The enclosure of the preocular tear film by the spectacle in snakes and some squamates, notably several geckos, means that nasolacrimal obstruction leads to swelling of the space between the cornea and the spectacle rather than epiphora.
- Upwelling infection along the nasolacrimal duct results in abscessation between the cornea and spectacle, but here no infectious agent is involved and the problem is merely a mechanical swelling of the spectacle.
- The nasolacrimal obstruction may be congenital with a developmental atresia of the duct, as has been reported in a blood python.
- More commonly it is caused by an acquired physical obstruction to the duct.
- In some cases, there is an infectious etiology at its origin, in which case the condition should probably be termed a subspectacular abscess Subspectacular abscessation.
- Interestingly there are snakes which develop this condition just before ecdysis or shedding, when presumably the shed epithelium, which includes that of the nasolacrimal duct as well as the dermal epidermis, impedes tear drainage for a few days.
Predisposing factors
General
- Stomatitis Stomatitis.
Diagnosis
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Treatment
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Prevention
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Outcomes
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Further Reading
Publications
Refereed papers
- Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
- Cullen C L, Wheler C & Grahn B H (2000) Diagnostic ophthalmology. Bullous spectaculopathy++ in a king snake. Can Vet J 41 (4), 327-328 PubMed.
Other sources of information
- Ballard B & Cheek R (2017) Exotic Animal Medicine for the Veterinary Technician. 3rd edn. Wiley-Blackwell.
- Girling S J (2013) Veterinary Nursing of Exotic Pets. 2nd edn. Wiley-Blackwell.
- Williams D (2012) The Reptile Eye. In: Ophthalmology of Exotic Pets. Wiley-Blackwell, UK. pp 178-191.
- Lawton M (2006) Reptilian Opthalmology. In: Reptile Medicine and Surgery. Ed: Mader D R. Saunders Elsevier, USA. pp 322-342.