Abstract

A giant pacific octopus was quarantined waiting for display at the Vancouver Aquarium when he showed signs of photophobia which developed into progressively occurring eye lid closure. The animal was anesthetized and exploration of the eye and culture of surrounding tissues was unrewarding. The octopus became increasingly moribund and was humanely euthanized. Gross examination of both eyes revealed extensive conjunctival swelling and edema, bilateral corneal opacites extending into the sclera. The eyes were fixed in 10% buffered neutral formalin and prepared for biopsy. On cut section the normal architecture of the eye was obscured by the amount of necrosis and in both the anterior and posterior chambers. The histopathological lesions will be discussed as well as comparisons of the normal and lesioned architecture of the octopus eye. The etiology of the lesion will also be discussed as well as the possible conditions that would allow this lesion to develop.

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