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Inverted Eyelids

I have a 4 month old pointer, whose bottom eyelids roll in. My vet says he may gow out of it, if not some minor surgical procedures are used. Can you tell me anything additional about this pboblem, along with some possible things I could do to help. I go out to the kennel whenever possible aand roll them down and check for infection. If I run the dog in the field I flush his eyes with sterile saline when done. Any advice would be appreciated, I would like to have it corrected before I have the dog professionally trained.

The condition you are describing is called entropion. The lower eyelid is not the right length for the eye size. When this growing problem happens, the eyelid can either roll in or sag out. Your Vet is right, he may grow out of it, in other words, his skull and eye size should increase to where the lids fit correctly. During this growing time, a lubrication ointment like triple antibiotic ointment can help to provide protection for the sensitive cornea. The saline flush helps too.

Usually, when the lid rolls in, the hairs irritate the cornea, the dog squints, and the condition gets worse. This can result in permanent loss of vision. Even if he grows out of the entropion, corneal damage can happen. Unfortunately, if surgery is done too soon, the lid may get too tight and need another surgery.

A growing number of surgeons are using laser surgery to correct this, with less chance of complications and speeds up healing. Have your Veterinarian or eye specialist (ophthalmologist) monitor this dog if you suspect trouble.

Dr Jim


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