Cherry eye is a common eye condition in smaller and medium dog breeds, where the gland of the third eyelid swells and becomes visible. This condition must be corrected, usually through surgery, because the gland produces most of the eye's tears. Older methods of cherry eye correction involved simply removing the gland, but it is a last-resort procedure today (complemented with a lifetime of eyedrops if performed), as the gland's purpose was unknown then. Modern methods of cherry eye correction involve repositioning of the gland to its normal location. The success rate of this type of surgery is approximately 95% in most breeds.
