Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Upper eyelid repair using lower eyelid graft in cat after eye removal
By Jung, Sunjun·Published in Veterinary ophthalmology·2026·Department of Veterinary Medicine, South Korea·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Upper Eyelid Reconstruction Using Contralateral Lower Eyelid Graft After Enucleation of a Blind Eye in a Cat With Bilateral Upper Eyelid Agenesis.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 2-year-old female Domestic Short-haired cat had a problem where she was missing most of her upper eyelids and had a blind right eye. The vet removed the blind eye and used skin from the lower eyelid to help reconstruct the upper eyelid on the left side. Although there was some initial healing issues, the eyelid eventually healed well, and six months later, it was functioning properly without any further problems. This technique could be a good option for similar cases in cats.
People also search for: cat missing eyelids treatment · cat eyelid reconstruction · cat eye problems · cat enucleation recovery · cat eyelid grafting
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe a novel technique for upper eyelid reconstruction using a contralateral full-thickness lower eyelid graft harvested during enucleation of a blind eye in a cat with bilateral upper eyelid agenesis. CASE PRESENTATION: A 2 year-old female Domestic Short-haired cat presented with bilateral upper eyelid agenesis involving approximately the lateral three-quarters of each upper eyelid, accompanied by microphthalmia. The left eye retained visual function, while the right eye was blind. Enucleation of the right eye was performed, and the right lower eyelid was harvested as a full-thickness graft for reconstruction of the left upper eyelid defect. RESULTS: Partial graft necrosis developed, followed by granulation tissue formation and secondary intention healing, resulting in a stable, non-haired scar by 8 weeks. At 6 months, the reconstructed eyelid demonstrated sustained functional integrity without trichiasis or exposure keratitis. CONCLUSION: Contralateral lower eyelid grafting following enucleation may be considered a viable reconstructive option for upper eyelid defects in cats with bilateral eyelid agenesis and unilateral blindness.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41424182/