Can trichiasis be treated without surgery?

Written by Wang Fang
Ophthalmology
Updated on September 09, 2024
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Whether surgery is needed for inverted eyelashes depends on the specific situation. If it is just one or a few eyelashes irritating the eyeball and the symptoms are not significant, you can choose the local electrolysis method to destroy the hair follicles of these eyelashes, preventing their regrowth. This will not affect the appearance and can fundamentally solve the problem. However, if there are a large number of inverted eyelashes causing significant irritation to the eyeball, surgery is recommended for correction. Without surgery, long-term irritation from the eyelashes could cause irreversible damage to the eye, such as scarring or ulcers on the cornea, which could eventually affect vision. Some patients might intermittently pull out the eyelashes, but this is not advisable, as the eyelashes will grow back.

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Written by Tao Yuan
Ophthalmology
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How should I deal with just one inverted eyelash?

Having just one ingrown eyelash is a relatively mild symptom of trichiasis, but it can irritate the corneal epithelium, causing a sensation of a foreign body in the eye. For treatment, tweezers can be used to pluck the ingrown eyelash. Simply plucking the ingrown lash does not destroy the follicle that produces the ingrown eyelash, so recurrence is common. If the ingrown lashes recur frequently, electrolysis treatment can be considered. This involves inserting a specially designed probe into the follicle producing the ingrown lash and applying electricity to destroy the follicle, which helps prevent recurrence. However, electrolysis treatment for ingrown eyelashes can cause significant eye pain during the procedure. It is not recommended for elderly patients with underlying heart conditions.

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Written by Li Zhen Dong
Ophthalmology
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Can trichiasis cause corneal damage?

If trichiasis persists in rubbing against the cornea, it will cause damage to the cornea. Long-term abrasion can lead to corneal neovascularization, damage the corneal epithelium, and leave opacity, sometimes forming speckled opacity or even leukoplakia, severely affecting vision. Once trichiasis occurs, active treatment is necessary. If there are only a few lashes involved, electrolysis of the eyelashes can be done; if there are many, surgery is essential. The surgery for trichiasis is generally successful, fully capable of correcting the condition, protecting the cornea, preserving vision, and alleviating the symptoms of the patient.

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Written by Li Zhen Dong
Ophthalmology
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Can people with trichiasis wear contact lenses?

Patients with trichiasis often experience inflammation of the conjunctiva and the cornea, therefore, they cannot wear contact lenses. Once trichiasis occurs, it should be actively treated, especially targeting the trichiasis itself. If it is just a few eyelashes that are inverted, electrolysis of the eyelashes can be performed. If there are many eyelashes inverted, then surgical treatment should be considered. Once the condition stabilizes, contact lenses can be worn. However, since trichiasis affects corneal lesions, a corneal bandage lens can be worn to protect the cornea. Active treatment with eye drops and eye ointments is recommended, and hot compresses should be avoided.

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Written by Tao Yuan
Ophthalmology
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Will there be scars after entropion surgery?

After the surgery for trichiasis, scars may remain in the eyelid area. However, because the skin on the eyelids has a strong healing ability, the scars usually are not conspicuous. Trichiasis is usually caused by a spasm in the orbicularis oculi muscle inside the eyelid, leading to entropion. Eyelashes poking toward the corneal tissue scratch the corneal epithelium with each blink, causing redness, eye pain, foreign body sensation, photophobia, and tearing. If not treated promptly, it can easily lead to keratitis and may form scars within the corneal tissue, reducing corneal transparency and thus affecting the patient’s vision. Treatment typically requires surgery to remove excess loose skin on the eyelids and to eliminate part of the spasmodic orbicularis oculi muscle, returning the eyelid to its normal position and alleviating the symptoms.

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Written by Wang Fang
Ophthalmology
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Entropion usually falls under the ophthalmology department.

Trichiasis should be treated by an ophthalmologist. Trichiasis is an eye condition caused by the tension factors of the eyelid's soft tissue, leading to the eyelashes attaching to or poking the surface of the eyeball, causing discomfort in the eyes. Depending on the severity of the condition, the following treatments can generally be chosen: First, if it is just a few lashes, electrolysis can be performed on these eyelashes. Electrolysis can destroy the few lashes stimulating the eyeball, preventing their regrowth and thereby relieving trichiasis. Second, if there are a larger number of lashes involved, trichiasis correction surgery should be chosen, which is a surgical treatment. After the surgery, the eyelashes can be made to turn outward, no longer irritating the eyeball.