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Entropion Causes and Risks:
Entropion can be a congenital condition. In babies, it rarely causes problems, because the lashes are very soft and will not damage the cornea. In the elderly, the condition is caused by a weakness of the muscles surrounding the lower part of the eye causing the lid to turn inward. It may also be caused by scarring on the inner surface of the lid from trachoma infection. Risk factors are aging, trauma or chemical burn , or disease such as trachoma.
Prevention:
Most cases are not preventable. Treatment may reduce the risk of complications.
Symptoms:
Signs and Tests:
An eye examination with forcible blinking confirms the symptoms.
Treatment:
Artificial tears, a lubricant, may provide relief from dryness and keep the cornea lubricated. Surgery to tighten the muscles that hold the eyelids in place is effective and can usually be performed as outpatient surgery with a local anesthetic.
Prognosis:
The probable outcome is good with treatment
Complications:
Call Your Healthcare Provider:
Call for an appointment with your health care provider if eyelids turn inward, if there is a sensation of a foreign body in the eye , or if new symptoms develop.
This is an illustration of a cross-section and frontal view of the eye.
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