What Causes Entropion?

Entropion is a somewhat rare condition that causes the eyelid to turn inwards. When this occurs, the eyelashes and some of the eyelid skin will rub against the surface of the eye, which can cause a variety of issues, such as discomfort and irritation. Cases of entropion can differ in severity. For instance, it's possible the eyelid will only turn inwards whenever an individual squeezes their eyes shut or blink hard. It's also possible entropion will occur on a constant basis, which means the eyelid will always be turned inwards. The various solutions that can provide patients with relief from the complications of entropion include lubricating ointments and artificial tears. If patients happen to leave entropion untreated, the transparent covering of the eye known as the cornea can be damaged. Patients might also suffer from vision loss and eye infections. By understanding more about the causes of entropion, individuals may be able to prevent the issue from occurring in the first place.

Trachoma

While trachoma, a type of bacterial infection that affects the eyes, is somewhat rare in developed nations, millions of individuals around the world suffer from it. This condition is among the leading causes of blindness across the world, which is why entropion may be the less severe symptom patients suffer from if affected by trachoma. This condition is actually contagious through contact with the other individual's eyelids, eyes, or nasal secretions. The initial symptoms of trachoma include slight irritation and itching along eyes and eyelids. Once the infection begins to worsen in severity, patients may experience entropion as well as issues where the eyelids become swollen. Early treatment can stave off most health complications. Younger children are more susceptible to trachoma than other age groups, which is something to keep in mind. There are five separate stages of development for trachoma, which extend from follicular inflammation to corneal clouding. The symptoms patients experience will be most severe in the upper eyelid. If the condition isn't treated early enough, it's possible patients will suffer from blindness.

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Skin Scarring

The presence of skin scarring can also be a contributing factor to whether or not individuals develop entropion. If scarring is located in a certain area around the eye, it's possible it can cause the eyelid to curve inwards. The skin scarring individuals suffer from can be the result of everything from surgery and trauma to chemical burns and radiation that have affected the face. When the skin becomes injured, the body will automatically start repairing the damage. If the injury is too deep, it's possible the healing process won't be as simple and straightforward as some might like. In order to repair the type of damage that extends lower than the first layer of skin, the body will create a thicker layer of skin on the top, which becomes a scar. Smaller scars usually don't create many issues and can even blend into the surrounding skin depending on where they are located. However, a poor location for a scar can create a wide range of appearance or health issues. If an individual has been injured around their eye, the healing of this injury may result in a scar that pulls on the eyelid and causes it to curve inwards. A new scar will appear pinkish or reddish at first, but will eventually blend well into the individual's natural skin color.

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Muscle Weakness

Muscle weakness is by far the most common cause for entropion and will oftentimes occur naturally as individuals age. When a person becomes older, they will invariably experience looser skin around the eyelids. The tendons and ligaments in the area will also become more relaxed and stretched. The muscles located under the eyes will weaken with age, which means it's possible for entropion to occur as a result. While there can sometimes be an underlying health issue that has caused muscle weakness to develop in the body, any muscle weakness surrounding the eye is usually caused by aging. This weakness can also occur as the result of a wide range of different types of conditions and diseases such as myasthenia gravis or polymyositis.

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Eye Inflammation Or Dryness

Standard eye inflammation or dryness may also bring about entropion under the right conditions. When the eye becomes irritated because of this dryness or inflammation, patients will likely find themselves squeezing their eyes shut or rubbing them constantly to relieve their symptoms. However, these actions can exacerbate the problem and cause patients to also experience entropion. When individuals squeeze their eyes shut too often or rub them too much, it's possible the eyelid muscles will spasm. This spams could cause the edge of the upper eyelid to roll inward. Whether individuals duffer from eye dryness or inflammation, they'll want to have this underlying condition treated if they want to feel relief from entropion.

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Extra Fold Of Skin On The Eyelid

There are times when the presence of entropion could be due to a congenital defect that has created an extra fold of skin on the eyelid. While some congenital defects are serious and can cause an array of complications, this defect doesn't create too many problems but should be looked at by a doctor soon after the child has been born. Once the child is old enough, they may be able to obtain a surgery that will correct the problem and eliminate entropion. The main surgical procedures used to get rid of the extra fold of skin on the eyelid include a brow lift surgery and a blepharoplasty, both of which are considered highly successful surgeries. Other than a mild case of entropion, the extra fold of skin shouldn't lead to many complications before it's treated.