"Cherry eye" is a common term used to indicate the prolapse or protrusion of the canine third eyelid gland which is situated at the medial aspect of the eye. The condition occurs more commonly in dogs than cats. Usually, you can see a reddish colored mass coming out from the medial aspect of the eye i.e. the term "cherry eye". It may be caused by a hereditary weakness in the connective tissues surrounding the gland. It is most common in puppies.
The main purpose of the gland is to produce tears to lubricate the eye (up to 30% of tears). And, because of that, cherry eye can expose the eye to dryness which may lead to "dry eye" (keratoconjunctivitis sicca). This is particularly true if the third eyelid glands were being removed as it was with the older treatment method. So folks, do not remove your dog's third eyelid gland if it has cherry eye as there are other treatment options which are much more better. The modern method of cherry eye treatment involves repositioning the gland to its normal position. The success rate of this treatment is up to 80% in most breeds.
