Eyelid Disorders
Your eyelid is the first line of defense for your eye. It protects it from foreign bodies and spread tears on the surface to keep it moist. But if your eyelid fails to function properly, it can leave your eye at risk for damage to your vision. The 2 most common eyelid disorders are ectropion and entropion.
Ectropion
Ectropion is an out-turned lower eyelid that typically occurs for 3 different reasons:
- Age (excessively limp lower eyelid muscles)
- Stroke or Bell’s Palsy (partial or complete paralysis of facial muscles)
- Scarring (caused by trauma related scarring or skin diseases with tightening of the skin)
Symptoms of ectropion include:
- Tearing
- Mattering of the lashes
- Irritation
- Redness of the lower lid
Treatment depends on the type of ectropion. Age-related and paralytic ectropion is treated by tightening the lower lid (think of it as a “nip and tuck”). This is performed as a same day surgery with light sedation and local anesthesia.
An out-turned lower eyelid caused by scarring can be more complicated to correct. A cheek lift is usually needed to recruit extra skin in addition to tightening the lower eyelid.
Entropion
Entropion is an in-turned lower eyelid, where the lashes are rubbing against the eyeball. It’s irritating, and if left untreated, can cause permanent damage to the cornea and loss of vision.
The most common type of entropion comes with age. The muscles that pull the lower lid down and back loosen, as do the horizontal muscles within the lower eyelid.
Symptoms of entropion include:
- Chronic redness
- Irritation
- Tearing
- Foreign body sensation
- Loss of vision
Treatment for entropion involves same-day surgery using light sedation and local anesthesia. We tighten the lower eyelid retractor muscles and perform a “nip and tuck” to the lower eyelid.
Contact us if you experience issues with your eyelids. Our ophthalmologists and cosmetic surgeons will meet with you to determine the best treatment. If surgery is necessary, you’ll work with the same ophthalmologist you already know and trust.