# Pinto with strange eyes



## HarleyClown (Nov 13, 2013)

I have been searching online for a looong time, looking for anything to answer my question about my Shetland Pony pinto. 
Her eyes are both bright blue and her face is black, making them stand out a lot, but what's so weird is she seems to have second pupil and iris just over the natural pupil and iris. She seems to have no complications with sight and I would just like to know what this could possibly be? Her eyes are identical on both sides and each has this strange feature in them. If you can help me at all, this would be MUCH appreciated.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Pictures would help. Never heard of double pupils and irises.


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## HarleyClown (Nov 13, 2013)

I will see what I can do for pictures. It's really hard to get her to open her eyes wide enough when I hold the camera to her face.


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## Peppy Barrel Racing (Aug 16, 2011)

Well the blue eyes are easy they are due to a white pattern. Either frame or splash. Also I don't see how it's any way possible for an animal to have two pupils there would be to openings to the eye the light wouldn't be focused right if that did happen somehow, the animal I can guarantee you would be blind since light couldn't be focused correctly on the retina. I'm wondering what you're really seeing...
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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

Are they cloudy? Could be cataracts.
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## Shoebox (Apr 18, 2012)

It sounds like Polycoria. It's a fancy word for a mis- or un-developed iris, making it look like the horse (or human) has two pupils.

Polycoria - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Google image it - is any of that what your horse's eye looks like?


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## Peppy Barrel Racing (Aug 16, 2011)

Shoebox said:


> It sounds like Polycoria. It's a fancy word for a mis- or un-developed iris, making it look like the horse (or human) has two pupils.
> 
> Polycoria - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> 
> Google image it - is any of that what your horse's eye looks like?


Never heard of that disease before but it is very neat!!!
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## HarleyClown (Nov 13, 2013)

Shoebox said:


> It sounds like Polycoria. It's a fancy word for a mis- or un-developed iris, making it look like the horse (or human) has two pupils.
> 
> Polycoria - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> 
> Google image it - is any of that what your horse's eye looks like?


Thank you for this answer!!!! Finally something I have to go on. I'm familiar with horses but this has me blown away. I'll definitely look at it. 

P.S. My pony has NO blindness or eye problems. Her eyes are bright with no cloudiness or milkiness.


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## HarleyClown (Nov 13, 2013)

Shoebox, THANK YOU!!!!! I do believe this is exactly what I have been looking for!


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## Peppy Barrel Racing (Aug 16, 2011)

You must take a picture Haley! And if this horse does have this disease there is no way this horse would not have vision problems. Proper regulation of light would be impossible.
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## Shoebox (Apr 18, 2012)

Peppy Barrel Racing said:


> You must take a picture Haley! And if this horse does have this disease there is no way this horse would not have vision problems. Proper regulation of light would be impossible.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Not necessarily. It entirely depends on the amount of light entering the eye, how distorted the "two pupils" are (It's actually only one pupil, but often the iris will stretch across, making it look like two.) A common effect is similar to how things look when your pupils are dialated. A common effect, however, is monocular diplopia - which is when more than one image is projected into the eye. 

The effect can range from nothing to blindness. If the horse doesn't seem to be affected by it I'd guess the effect is pretty minimal. The iris can be wrongly developed and still do its job, and it has no effect on the rods and cones of the eye - I'd be interested to see a picture of the horse and the degree that his eye is affected.

EDIT: It could also be a condition known as multiple coloboma. Here's an article that discusses both of them:

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-0420.2007.00985.x/full#f1


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## Peppy Barrel Racing (Aug 16, 2011)

Shoebox said:


> Not necessarily. It entirely depends on the amount of light entering the eye, how distorted the "two pupils" are (It's actually only one pupil, but often the iris will stretch across, making it look like two.) A common effect is similar to how things look when your pupils are dialated. A common effect, however, is monocular diplopia - which is when more than one image is projected into the eye.
> 
> The effect can range from nothing to blindness. If the horse doesn't seem to be affected by it I'd guess the effect is pretty minimal. The iris can be wrongly developed and still do its job, and it has no effect on the rods and cones of the eye - I'd be interested to see a picture of the horse and the degree that his eye is affected.
> 
> ...


Hmm interesting it just seems like if the iris was malformed the pupillary sphincter muscles wouldn't be correct either. I was just thinking it would be kinda similar to your eyes being dilated all the time. That sounds uncomfortable. Have you heard of people with this having problems with seeing the vessels in their eye do to light striking where it shouldn't? Sorry got off topic a bit but the science geek in me is pretty curious definitely reading that article lol . 
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## Chickenoverlord (Apr 30, 2013)

I need to see pics!!!


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## Regula (Jan 23, 2012)

Horses can also have iris cysts, which are more common in blue eyed horses. I've never actually seen one in a horse, but several in dogs, and they do somewhat look like "second pupils"...
These do not impair the vision at all, unless they are big enough to overlap the actual pupil.

I agree that pics would help.


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## GamingGrrl (Jan 16, 2013)

Wow, how interesting! Another vote for pics here, how cool!
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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

I suspect it is just pigmentation giving that appearance.


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## WSArabians (Apr 14, 2008)

Like this? I wouldn't mind seeing pictures, either.


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## HarleyClown (Nov 13, 2013)

WSArabians said:


> Like this? I wouldn't mind seeing pictures, either.


Hi guys. I will try getting good pics of each eye, but lighting is hard to get right. Yes WSArabians, that eye is quite similar.


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## HarleyClown (Nov 13, 2013)

Regula said:


> Horses can also have iris cysts, which are more common in blue eyed horses. I've never actually seen one in a horse, but several in dogs, and they do somewhat look like "second pupils"...
> These do not impair the vision at all, unless they are big enough to overlap the actual pupil.
> 
> I agree that pics would help.


Thank you Regula, I will also look into this!


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## NdAppy (Apr 8, 2009)

The stuff at the top of the pupil what you are looking at?

That is completely normal. It's the corpora *****_. _It's the horses built in sun shade so to speak. The Equine Eye: What Horse Owners Should Know - Thal Equine LLC | Thal Equine LLC


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## HarleyClown (Nov 13, 2013)

The lighting is terrible and the reflection of her eyelashes over the dark spot makes it look like all that's there is a reflection. However in reality there is a very visible pupil like spot on one side and her other eye its more faint but still there. I'll try and get better pictures.

ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting


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## HarleyClown (Nov 13, 2013)

NdAppy said:


> The stuff at the top of the pupil what you are looking at?
> 
> That is completely normal. It's the corpora *****_. _It's the horses built in sun shade so to speak. The Equine Eye: What Horse Owners Should Know - Thal Equine LLC | Thal Equine LLC


It is above the pupil however none of my other horses have such and neither do any of my friends horses.


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## HarleyClown (Nov 13, 2013)

Another pic. Still not very good.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

I can't tell for sure from your pictures, but I think that NdAppy is correct that it is the corpora *****. It does not really show on a lot of horses, but due to the lack of pigmentation, it shows well on your horse. I have six horses, and only one has a noticeable corpora *****.


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## HarleyClown (Nov 13, 2013)

It is really quite high above the Corpora *****, which leads me to think it is not the Corpora *****, however as Shoebox mentioned Polycoria is a factor. I'm not say its impossible that it isn't the Corpora *****. I will keep looking up different things. With all the suggestions you have all given me I have a lot of researching I can do to see if I can pin-point exactly what it is.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

there is a bit of a glare on the photo, but it just may be a lot darker pigment in that blue eye.
there is some darker pigment running down from the iris, but not as dark. 
I have seen some horses with brown and blue on the same eye and it is really quite strange appearing. Neat but strange.
And its odd, but I notice the copra negra on all my horses, they all have the 'little mountains' in thier eyes


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

The photos don't work for me...?


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## Chickenoverlord (Apr 30, 2013)

Pic didn't work for me either


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