Stages of Puppy's Growth: When do Puppies Open Their Eyes

Those of you, who are pet lovers, will agree with me that puppies are a treat to the eyes… I am not exaggerating! They are really cute. Their wobbly walk is sure to make you fall in love with them. Read developmental stages of a puppy. The question here is "when do puppies open their eyes". The crystal clear and crisp answer is, it takes 10 to 14 days of age for puppies to open their eyes.

Are you wondering why it takes so many days for a puppy to open its eyes? The reason is, if the eyes open early, the tear glands would not be fully developed and there would be no or less production of tears. This would result in a condition known as "puppy dry eye" and you need to take it to a vet for treatment. You would have to apply an antibiotic ointment couple of times in a day, until the tear glands start the secretion of tears.

The eyelids of a puppy have many functions. They not only protect the cornea, but also prevent the eyes from drying out. It is the eyelids that spread the tear film across the corneal surface. If the eyelids are not properly developed, it would lead to the above mentioned condition. You need to know that the tear glands are located along the margin of the eyelids and also in the folds of the eyelids.

The function of the eyelids of puppies, not only determines the shape and size of the eyelid openings, but also keeps out the light. The eyelids also produce tears and help to spread the tear film. The eyelid glands situated in the folds of the eyelid produce thirty to sixty percentage of the watery portion of the tear. If you are a dog lover, you would want to read more about pet dogs.