Trapped eyelashes

[wendyg]

Hi, one for GPs or eye docs, I suppose.

My daughter (6) keeps getting her upper eyelashes trapped under the lower eyelid in the lateral canthus of one eye. She doesn't complain of a lot of discomfort and there isn't significant obvious irritation, but she does rub it alot - don't know if that's a cause or a result.

I have been gently everting the upper lid and easing the lashes out, but it has happened maybe 4 times in the last 3 months. Her lashes are quite straight (blame her mother's genetics).

Is this likely to be an ongoing problem, and can anything be done about it?

[wendyg]

anyone?

[Mrs ph]

Hi trapped lashes / ingrowing lashes known as trichiasis. If it's 1-2 lashes and they are clearly visible they can be removed. It's probably causing mild irritation hence the rubbing, but rubbing it can make it worse causing scratched cornea or infections. Best thing is to go to an optometrist or Gp so they can be taken out ( usually just with a tweezer). Problem may persist and more treatment ( epilating )may be needed if it's causing symptoms.

[wendyg]

Thanks Mrs PH, have looked a a couple of other sitea suggested by your info. Not quite the same thing, the lashes are usually fully grown and normally sit correctly. No idea what she is doing to rub them in to the lower lid.

[968]

wendyg said:

Thanks Mrs PH, have looked a a couple of other sitea suggested by your info. Not quite the same thing, the lashes are usually fully grown and normally sit correctly. No idea what she is doing to rub them in to the lower lid.

Hi, this is very common in children. To disagree with the other poster, I don't think this is trichiasis, as that is usually caused by abnormalities of lid position amongst other causes, which is not that common in kids.

Children have very soft lashes which can easily be misdirected, and sometimes these can rub against the cornea and conjunctiva. Mostly, it causes no problems and no irritation. I would certainly not epilate the lashes as they will simply re-grow, unless your child is actually symptomatic, or has developed problems as a consequence of the lashes rubbing. Indeed, I would avoid touching it too much or trying to redirect them manually as that simply traumatises the ocular surface and irritates the eye more. If you have any further info, PM me.

edited to add, she'll grow out of it. Unless she complains of pain and irritation, leave it be.

DOI ophthalmic surgeon.

[wendyg]

968 said:

wendyg said:

Thanks Mrs PH, have looked a a couple of other sitea suggested by your info. Not quite the same thing, the lashes are usually fully grown and normally sit correctly. No idea what she is doing to rub them in to the lower lid.

Hi, this is very common in children. To disagree with the other poster, I don't think this is trichiasis, as that is usually caused by abnormalities of lid position amongst other causes, which is not that common in kids.

Children have very soft lashes which can easily be misdirected, and sometimes these can rub against the cornea and conjunctiva. Mostly, it causes no problems and no irritation. I would certainly not epilate the lashes as they will simply re-grow, unless your child is actually symptomatic, or has developed problems as a consequence of the lashes rubbing. Indeed, I would avoid touching it too much or trying to redirect them manually as that simply traumatises the ocular surface and irritates the eye more. If you have any further info, PM me.

edited to add, she'll grow out of it. Unless she complains of pain and irritation, leave it be.

DOI ophthalmic surgeon.

Hi 968, just wandering back through some older stuff and realised that I hadn't thanked you for your advice. It happened once more a couple of weeks after I posted and after a couple of days of her eye rubbing I got the BPE probe out again (ask peterpeter) and eased them out. No problems since, so thank you for your help.

[968]

wendyg said:

Hi 968, just wandering back through some older stuff and realised that I hadn't thanked you for your advice. It happened once more a couple of weeks after I posted and after a couple of days of her eye rubbing I got the BPE probe out again (ask peterpeter) and eased them out. No problems since, so thank you for your help.

No probs.

[Cherryflavoered]

I am 49 years old and I noticed that my eyes seemed to be closing from the outside corners. Not being able to see too well anyway this was becoming worrisome so I took a closer look at my eyes and noticed my eye lashes were being absorbed by all 4 corners of my eyes. The outside corners weren't even corners anymore. So I took the eye end of a needle and carefully started working the lashes out from under the skin. The inside corner actually looks full but isn't uncomfortable and as I pull the lashes from the pink area of the inside corner you can tell something I was doing something. It has taken me a while to get what little bit I have gotten out out and was wondering about a better way.