Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypesSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentPrognosisCoping
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prognosis
Coping
Entropion is a condition in which the eyelid, usually the lower one, turns inward toward the eye. As a result, entropion can cause the eyelashes to rub against the front of the eye (cornea). This can lead to several uncomfortable symptoms, from pain toblurry visionand infection.
Entropion is treated with surgery to turn the inward-curved eyelid outward. Entropian surgeries are quick and associated with few complications. In most cases, once entropion is treated with surgery, it does not come back.
This article explains the types of entropion, the symptoms this condition causes, and how it’s treated. It also touches on the recovery process after surgery for entropion.
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Types of Entropion
Entropion can affect the upper or lower eyelids, but the lower lids are most commonly affected.
The most common type of entropion occurs in people over the age of 60. The older a person gets, the more likely they are to develop entropion. It occurs in about 2% of people over the age of 60, and in 11% of people over the age of 80.
There are four types of entropion:
Entropion (when the eyelids turn inward) is easy to confuse withectropion(when the eyelids turn outward).
Conjunctiva Anatomy and Function
Entropion Symptoms
At first, people with entropion might only have occasional symptoms. However, if the condition is not treated, the symptoms tend to become more consistent over time.
Possible symptoms of entropion include:
Left Eye Pain: Why It Hurts and How to Relieve It
What Causes Entropion?
The cause of entropion depends on the type. For example, age-related entropion happens as the eyelid muscles become weakened and the tendons of the eyelids get loose.
Other possible causes include:
An Overview of Eye Health
How to Treat Entropion
If it is not treated, entropion can lead to eye infections or vision loss. People who have symptoms or are at risk for complications usually need to have surgery to correct entropion.Surgery tends to fix the condition immediately.
There are two main types of surgery used to treat entropion:
There are other procedures that eye doctors also may perform to treat entropion. Whichever procedure is used, topical anesthesia is typically placed on the eyelid to make sure that a person does not feel pain during the procedure.
Nonsurgical Options
If surgery is not an option,eye doctorsmay recommend other treatments to help a person who has entropion, including the following:
Prognosis for Entropion
The prognosis for most cases of entropion is typically good. Once eyelid surgery is performed, a person’s symptoms usually go away immediately and the condition does not come back.
The exception is cicatricial entropion, which can result in chronic inflammation and is more likely than the other types of entropion to return. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the recurrence rate ranges from 12% to 71%.
Early diagnosis and treatment of entropion is key to preventing infection, a corneal scratch, or vision loss.
Types of Eye Infections
Coping With Entropion
Each person with entropion will want to work with theireye doctorto determine which treatment is best for the type of entropion that they have.
Entropion does not always cause symptoms, but some people do experience discomfort. While waiting for surgery to permanently fix the problem, people can turn to treatments that can help ease their symptoms—such as eye ointments and artificial tears.
How to Use Artificial Tears
Summary
There are several types of entropion—a condition in which the lids of one or both eyes turn inward and cause irritation and, in some cases, infection. Most people with the condition develop it as they get older due to age-related changes to the eye structures.
Some people do not have symptoms; however, the longer a person delays treatment, the more likely they are to develop symptoms and complications, which can include vision loss. Surgery is the preferred way to treat most kinds of entropion. Once a person has surgery to fix the problem, any symptoms that they have will go away immediately and the condition usually does not come back.
Common Causes of Eyelid Pain
9 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.The College of Optometrists.Entropion.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Eyelid surgery.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Involutional or senile entropion.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Spastic entropion.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Cicatricial entropion.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Congenital entropion.Mount Sinai.Entropion.American Academy of Opthalmology.Diagnosis and management of of involutional entropion.American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery.Entropion.
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.The College of Optometrists.Entropion.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Eyelid surgery.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Involutional or senile entropion.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Spastic entropion.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Cicatricial entropion.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Congenital entropion.Mount Sinai.Entropion.American Academy of Opthalmology.Diagnosis and management of of involutional entropion.American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery.Entropion.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
The College of Optometrists.Entropion.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Eyelid surgery.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Involutional or senile entropion.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Spastic entropion.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Cicatricial entropion.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Congenital entropion.Mount Sinai.Entropion.American Academy of Opthalmology.Diagnosis and management of of involutional entropion.American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery.Entropion.
The College of Optometrists.Entropion.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.Eyelid surgery.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.Involutional or senile entropion.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.Spastic entropion.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.Cicatricial entropion.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.Congenital entropion.
Mount Sinai.Entropion.
American Academy of Opthalmology.Diagnosis and management of of involutional entropion.
American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery.Entropion.
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