Trichiasis- the Ingrowing Eyelashes

Trichiasis- the Ingrowing Eyelashes that scratch your Cornea

Do you have a foreign body sensation in your eye?  Is the eye red and irritated yet not sore enough to worry about?

Trichiasis is when one or more but usually not all your eyelashes are facing the wrong direction and rub up against the cornea that protects your eyeball.

Trichiasis, or ingrowing eyelashes can develop after chronic blepharitis. Trichiasis needs to be differentiated from Entropion which is when the entire eyelid turns in towards the cornea, thus all eyelashes are scratching the cornea.

Symptoms – What does it feel like?

Pain, redness, foreign body sensation and sensitivity to light and tearing are often keys signs of Trichiasis.   Persistent irritation from Trichiasis to the cornea, can result in an infection due to open wound, and long term scarring.

Best Treatment is for the removal of the culprit eyelashes by your Optometrist.  Best done under magnification of the slit lamp.  Recurrent regrowth can be treated  by destroying the hair follicle with either cryotherapy (extreme cold) or with heat and electrical current procedures such as electrolysis.

#trichiasis causes gritty scratchy, painful, watery, eyes. trichiasis an scratch your #cornea.
#ingrowingeyelashes can easily be removed by your #optometrist