True or false: Surgical therapy completely replaces the need for medical therapy.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Sometimes
• D. Not addressed

Answer: (B)

Surgical therapy does not replace the need for medical therapy. Surgery can fix anatomy, remove diseased tissue, or repair a defect, but healing, infection control, inflammation management, and prevention of recurrence rely on medical treatment. In horses, postoperative medical care is routinely essential: topical antibiotics and anti-inflammatories help prevent infection and control pain and inflammation, tear supplements support a healthy surface, and systemic medications may be needed for deeper infections or systemic inflammation. Medical therapy also targets ongoing or underlying issues such as infectious keratitis or recurrent uveitis, which surgery alone cannot resolve. So for most conditions, surgery is part of a broader plan that includes continued medical management.