Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentComplications
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Complications
An ingrown eyelash (trichiasis) is a common eye problem that causes eyelashes to grow abnormally. Instead of growing out, ingrown eyelashes grow inward toward the eye. Since eyelashes are usually very coarse, trichiasis can feel like a needle poking into your eye and may cause pain and irritation. If an ingrown eyelash is not treated, it can even damage your eye.
This article will go over the causes of ingrown eyelashes, how to remove an ingrown eyelash, and ways to prevent them.
Verywell / Cindy Chung
Symptoms of Ingrown Eyelash
Trichiasis can cause your eyelashes to rub against the conjunctiva and the cornea of your eye, causing pain and irritation. Constant irritation can lead to corneal abrasion. If the condition is untreated or chronic, inflammation and vision loss can happen.
People with trichiasis may have symptoms like:
Many people feel like something is scratching their eye or that they think there is a piece of sand in their eye.
If you have an ingrown eyelash and your eyes feel irritated, you should see an eye health provider to make sure you don’t get a corneal abrasion or infection.
Causes of Ingrown Eyelash
It’s not always clear what’s causing eyelashes to grow in the wrong direction (idiopathic). A person’s eye looks healthy, but the eyelashes just seem to grow inward instead of outward.
A common cause of trichiasis isblepharitis(infection andinflammation of the eyelidsand eyelid margin). When this happens, the hair follicles can get misdirected and trichiasis can develop.
There are a few other eye conditions that can cause the eyelashes to be misdirected or grow abnormally:
How Ingrown Eyelashes Are Diagnosed
A healthcare provider can look at your eye with a special light (slit lamp) to see if your eyelashes are causing the irritation. Your provider will put a staining solution in your eye that can show any areas of damage.
What Is the Difference Between Trichiasis and a Stye?
Treatment for Ingrown Eyelash
There are a few options that may be used to treat trichiasis. Your healthcare provider will decide which treatment option is best for you. If the initial treatment your healthcare provider chooses is not sufficient, they may decide to explore other treatment options on this list.
If epilation does not work or more than a few lashes are involved, there are some permanent treatments for ingrown eyelashes you might want to consider, including:
Does Vaseline Help Your Eyelashes Grow Longer and Thicker?
Complications of Trichiasis
If left untreated, trichiasis can turn into a serious eye problem. A corneal abrasion can cause a lot of damage to your eye. If you get an infection, your provider may prescribe antibiotic eye drops and anti-inflammatory medicines to help clear it up and prevent further complications.
Prevention
You cannot always keep an ingrown eyelash from popping up, but in general, taking care of your eyes will help cut down on the chances of eyelashes getting ingrown.
Eye health practices that can help prevent ingrown eyelashes include:
The life cycle of an eyelash is around three months. If you have trichiasis that is recurrent, schedule your eye health visits every two and a half months so that the provider can check to see if any new eyelashes are growing the wrong way.
Summary
Ingrown eyelashes are a common problem. If you have an ingrown eyelash and let it go untreated, you could have lingering discomfort and may even damage your eye.
While you cannot always prevent it from happening, taking care of your eyes can help make trichiasis less likely to arise. If you get ingrown eyelashes often, see an eye health provider for an exam. They might be able to offer treatment that could keep them from coming back.
8 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.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.Trichiasis symptoms and treatment.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.What is trichiasis?.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.EyeWiki: Trichiasis.
Merck Manual Consumer Version.Trichiasis.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.What are styes and chalazia?
Review of Ophthalmology.Trichiasis: Lashes gone astray.
Habtamu E, Rajak SN, Tadesse Z, et al.Epilation for minor trachomatous trichiasis: four-year results of a randomised controlled trial.PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2015;9(3):e0003558. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0003558
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