Cherry Eye

Cherry eye happens when a small tear-producing gland tucked inside your pet's third eyelid slips out of position and pops into view as a round, reddish lump in the corner of the eye. Dogs and cats both have this third eyelid, a thin membrane in the inner corner of the eye that most owners barely notice until something goes wrong with it. The tear film that keeps the eye moist is made up of water, oil, and mucus, with the water portion coming from two tear glands per eye, one above the eye and one tucked in the third eyelid. That third eyelid gland is responsible for something like 40 to 60 percent of total tear production, so it's doing far more work than its small size suggests.

The lump itself forms because the gland shifts out of its normal position, likely due to a weakness in the connective tissue that normally anchors it in place. It tends to show up in young animals, and some breeds are far more prone to it than others. Breeds at the highest documented risk include the Neapolitan Mastiff, English and French Bulldogs, Cane Corso, Lhasa Apso, and American Cocker Spaniel, with brachycephalic (short-nosed) breeds generally overrepresented. In cats, it's less common overall but tends to show up mainly in flat-faced breeds like Persians, British Shorthairs, and Exotic Shorthairs.

Cherry eye isn't usually an emergency, but it's not something to wait out either. Once the gland is exposed, it's prone to irritation, drying out, and swelling, and the longer it stays displaced the more likely it is to sustain lasting damage. Getting it treated promptly helps limit permanent harm to the eye or the gland itself. A vet may occasionally be able to massage a very mild case back into place, but this is inconsistent and often temporary. The standard and most reliable treatment is a surgical technique that repositions the gland back where it belongs rather than removing it. Removing the gland entirely used to be common practice but is now generally avoided where possible, since losing that gland can lead to reduced tear production, and healthy tear production matters for keeping the surface of the eye in good condition over the long run, sometimes setting a pet up for chronic dry eye later in life.

If you notice a pink or red bulge near the inner corner of your pet's eye, along with any squinting, watering, or rubbing at the face, it's worth getting checked rather than waiting to see if it resolves on its own. The guides below go into more detail on what to expect from diagnosis through recovery.