Symptoms of Trichiasis
Trichiasis can cause your eyelashes to rub against the conjunctiva and the cornea, causing pain and irritation. The constant irritation to the cornea can sometimes cause a corneal abrasion. Inflammation and vision loss can also occur if the condition becomes chronic or ongoing.
People with trichiasis often complain of the following symptoms:
Foreign body sensationEye rednessBlurry visionWatery eyesEye pain
Many say they feel like something is scratching their eye or they think that there is a piece of sand in their eye.
Causes
Sometimes healthcare providers do not find a reason why the eyelashes grow the wrong way. This is called an idiopathic cause. The eye appears healthy, but the eyelash just tends to grow inward.
However, a very common cause of trichiasis is blepharitis. Blepharitis causes infection and inflammation of the eyelids and eyelid margin. When this occurs, the hair follicles can become misdirected and cause trichiasis.
There are a few other eye conditions that may cause the eyelashes to be misdirected or grow abnormally:
Entropion: The eyelid loses its normal elasticity and flips or folds inward. This is sometimes due to age or being overweight. It is seen more commonly in adults. Injury: If the eyelid is torn or injured, the position of the eyelashes may change and grow inward. This can happen as a result of the surgical repair of an injured eyelid. Distichiasis: An extra row of eyelashes develops and grows inward, rubbing against the eye.
Diagnosis
The irritation caused by trichiasis is usually enough to prompt a person to make an appointment with an eye healthcare provider. By examining your eye with a slit lamp, your eye healthcare provider will be able to tell if you are in fact suffering from trichiasis.
Your healthcare provider will also instill a staining solution to show potential damage that may have occurred to your cornea due to the repeated irritation. This test can reveal how serious your condition may be.
Treatment Options
The following options 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.
Epilation: The first line of treatment is to epilate or pluck the misaligned or misdirected lashes with special forceps. Eyelashes will typically grow back in two or three months. Electrolysis: Electrolysis uses an electric current to damage the hair follicle, preventing re-growth. Recurrence occurs in 40% to 50% of patients. Surgery: In severe cases, eyelid surgery may be performed to eliminate trichiasis. Bandage contact lens: A soft bandage contact lens is applied to the cornea to help it heal and to protect it from eyelashes that have not been epilated yet.
Frequent visits to your eye healthcare provider are recommended when you have trichiasis. The life cycle of an eyelash is around three months. If you have trichiasis that is recurrent, schedule your healthcare provider visits every two and a half months so that the healthcare provider can check to see if any new eyelashes are growing the wrong way.
Complications of Trichiasis
If left untreated, trichiasis can turn into a serious eye problem. A corneal abrasion, which may develop from a coarse eyelash, can cause considerable damage to your eye. If an infection occurs, your healthcare provider may prescribe antibiotic eye drops and anti-inflammatory medicines.
A Word From Verywell
You may require a few office visits, but that’s much better than winding up with a bad case of trichiasis on the weekend and being in pain for a few days. If you suspect trichiasis, be sure to seek the advice of a professional.
Eyelash trephination, in which lashes are removed by using a tiny tube to bore out the lash follicleClassic electrolysisRadiofrequency electrolysisArgon laser therapyCryotherapy (often effective for large areas of misdirected lashes)Surgery
