Chronic ocular lesions in tawny owls (Strix aluco) injured by road traffic.

The chronic ocular lesions suffered by 50 tawny owls (Strix aluco) injured by road traffic were investigated. They included non-healing corneal erosions, cataracts and retinal scarring, and periretinal membrane formation. The intraocular pressure was significantly lower in the eyes with intraocular inflammatory pathology and higher in the eyes with irido- or cyclodialysis than in ophthalmically normal eyes. Cicatritial retinal lesions were not associated with high titres of antibodies to Toxoplasma species. The findings correlate with those observed in human beings with eye injuries due to high-speed blunt trauma.