Entropion

Our variety of surgical and non-surgical cosmetic and reconstructive surgeries allow us to treat conditions that affect the area around the eyes. One of these conditions is entropion, which requires surgical intervention to correct.

What is Entropion?

Entropion is when an eyelid, often the lower lid, folds inward, causing the eyelashes to rub against the cornea or the transparent front of the eyeball. Depending on the case, the eyelid may turn in while blinking especially hard, or it may be turned in all the time, causing discomfort and irritation, which will eventually cause pain and long-term damage.

Entropion is most common in adults over 60. Other symptoms include foreign body sensation (the feeling that something is stuck in your eye), increased light and wind sensitivity, watery eyes, and eyelid crusting. Entropion can cause corneal damage, eye infections, and vision loss if left untreated.

How is Entropion Treated?

In the short term, entropion can be treated with eye drops to protect the cornea and soothe irritation, and with a special type of medical skin tape to keep the eyelid from turning in. Another option involves the usage of a soft contact lens as a barrier between the eyelid and the cornea. The only long-term solution for entropion, however, is to have your eyelid surgically repaired.

When you undergo entropion surgery, we’ll remove excessive tissue from your affected eyelid and tighten its tendons and muscles. This pulls your eyelid taut. Entropion surgery is considered a reconstructive procedure since it is done to prevent corneal damage and vision loss, so it is frequently considered medically necessary and, as a result, covered by health insurance providers.