How much does cherry eye surgery cost?

Typical price range, what drives it, and what you'd pay with insurance.

Cherry eye surgery — typical cost

$300 – $1,500

National range for dog. Your price varies by clinic, region, and severity.

With 80% insurance (after a $250 deductible) you'd pay about

$260 – $500

If it's a covered, non-pre-existing condition. The insurer reimburses the rest.

What is it?

Surgery to reposition a prolapsed third-eyelid gland. Common in young dogs and often affects both eyes.

What affects the cost

One eye or both
Surgical technique
Whether it recurs
General practice vs. ophthalmologist
Region

What you'd pay with pet insurance

Accident-and-illness pet insurance typically reimburses 70–90% of a covered bill after your deductible. For a $900 cherry eye surgery, an 80% plan with a $250 deductible would pay you back roughly $520 — as long as the condition isn't pre-existing. That's why enrolling before a problem appears matters so much.

Try next: Reimbursement calculator · Is pet insurance worth it? · Estimate another procedure

Cost ranges are national estimates compiled from veterinary teaching-hospital and pet-care financing references; individual prices vary widely. Not a quote or veterinary advice.

See all procedure costs →

Frequently asked questions

Cherry eye surgery typically runs $300–$1,500, depending on one eye or both, your region, and the severity. Surgery to reposition a prolapsed third-eyelid gland. Common in young dogs and often affects both eyes.

Accident-and-illness insurance generally covers it when the condition is new (not pre-existing), reimbursing 70–90% after your deductible — roughly $260–$500 out of pocket on an 80% plan.

Get an itemized estimate, ask about general-practice vs. specialist pricing, consider care-financing options, and — before any problem starts — insure your pet so a future bill like this is largely reimbursed.