Third eyelid laceration in a cat

This case discusses the surgical and medical management of a significant laceration on the third eyelid of a cat at a rural isolated clinic location. The nictitating membrane (third eyelid) is a triangular shaped folding of the conjunctiva between the globe and the eyelids. It is a vascular-rich structure connected periorbitally at the medial angle by a fibrous fold. It is functionally essential for moistening the ocular surface by producing 30–40% of total tear production and distributing it across the corneal surface, while mechanically protecting the eyes and clearing debris (Demir and Altundağ, 2020).

Disorders of the third eyelid include foreign bodies, laceration, inflammation, eversion, protrusion or prolapse (Demir and Altundağ, 2020), although in first opinion practice the most common injury encountered in cats is conjunctivitis (Çatalkaya et al, 2023), and at referral centres it is corneal ulceration (Demir and Sensoy, 2023).