Entropion

Diagnosis

Entropion can usually be diagnosed with a routine eye exam, including an exam of the tissues surrounding the affected eye. Also, you'll be asked about any history of eye injury, eyelid surgery or other medical conditions.

Your healthcare professional will likely:

• Examine the eyelid with a magnifying device.
• Pull on your eyelid to see how well it returns to its at-rest state.
• Ask you to open and close your eyes while watching you.
• Use a bright light and microscope to see the condition of the cornea.

Treatment

Surgery is usually needed to treat entropion. But certain treatments may be used for short-term relief before surgery is done. These treatments also may be used for people who cannot undergo surgery.

Short-term treatments

There are several treatment options that can provide short-term relief.

• A soft contact lens can serve as a barrier to protect the cornea from irritation or damage.
• Skin tape can be applied to the eyelid to keep it from turning in.
• Eye ointments or artificial tears, available with or without a prescription, can give you short-term relief from symptoms.
• OnabotulinumtoxinA (Botox) injected into an eyelid can weaken muscles and allow the eyelid to turn outward. The effect may last several months.
• Stitches may be used to hold the eyelid outward. This treatment can last for several months.

Treating underlying conditions

If an underlying condition, such as an infection or inflammatory disease, is causing entropion, your healthcare professional will likely prescribe medicines to treat the condition.

Surgery

The type of surgery you have depends on the condition of the tissue surrounding your eyelid and the cause of your entropion.

In general, the surgeon removes tissue and muscle and uses sutures to pull the eyelid outward. If there is scar tissue on the lining of the eyelid, your surgeon may remove the scar tissue. If needed, a tissue graft from the roof of the mouth or nasal cavity may be used to repair the lining of the eyelid.

Before surgery, you'll receive a medicine to numb your eyelid and the area around it. You also may take a medicine to help you relax.

After surgery you may be asked to:

• Wear an eye patch for 24 hours.
• Use an antibiotic and steroid ointment on your eye.
• Use cold compresses to lessen bruising and swelling.
• Limit your activities for the first week.
• Avoid rubbing your eyes.
• Avoid wearing contact lenses for two weeks.

Preparing for your appointment

If you have signs and symptoms of entropion, you'll likely start by seeing your primary healthcare professional. You may be referred to a doctor who specializes in treating eye conditions, called an ophthalmologist.

Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment.

What you can do

Before your appointment take these steps:

• List symptoms you've been having, including those that may not be related to your eyes or eyelids.
• Find a photo of yourself before the appearance of your eyelid changed, and bring this to your appointment.
• List all medicines, vitamins and supplements you take, as well as the doses and the reason for taking each one.
• List key personal and medical information, including other conditions, recent life changes and stressors.
• List questions to ask your healthcare professional.

Take a family member or friend along, if possible, to help you remember the information you're given.

Questions you might ask your healthcare professional include:

• What's the most likely cause of my condition?
• Is there a risk to my vision?
• What treatments do you recommend?
• What are the risks of surgery?
• I have other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?
• Do you have any brochures or other printed material that I can take with me? What websites do you recommend?

What to expect from your doctor

Your healthcare professional is likely to ask you a number of questions, such as:

• When did your symptoms begin?
• Have your symptoms been constant, or do they come and go?
• Have you had any earlier surgery or procedures on your eye or eyelid?
• Have you had any other eye problems, such as an eye infection or an injury?
• Are you using any eyedrops?