Traumatic ocular proptoses in dogs and cats: 84 cases (1980-1993)

Eighteen eyes of 66 dogs were visual on reevaluation of traumatic proptosis. Twenty-one eyes were enucleated, and 4 dogs were euthanatized. In 18 cats, no eyes regained vision after traumatic proptosis: 12 cats had the affected eye enucleated, 2 had an eye that was considered blind, and 4 cats were euthanatized. Affected eyes of 45 dogs and 2 cats underwent surgical replacement and temporary tarsorrhaphy. Favorable prognostic indicators for eyes undergoing surgical replacement included proptosis in a brachycephalic dog, positive direct or consensual pupillary light response, normal findings on posterior segment examination, and a proptosed eye that had vision on initial examination. Unfavorable prognostic indicators included proptosis in a nonbrachycephalic dog, proptosis in cats, hyphema, no visible pupil, facial fractures, optic nerve damage, and avulsion of 3 or more extraocular muscles.