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VERIFIED CONTENTAuthor: lek. Katarzyna Banaszczyk

The eyelashes are tiny hairs on the upper and lower eyelids of both eyes. Their function is primarily to protect the anterior segment of the eye against damage and dirt. One of the eye lash disorders is what is known as ingrown eyelashes. What are the reasons for this anomaly? How can we treat ingrown eyelashes?

Ingrown eyelashesare disorders belonging to the group of acquired incorrect lash positions. From Latin we call them ectopia cilii. The eyelashes grow in the wrong direction, i.e. towards the conjunctival sac, but the ciliary edge is positioned correctly, unlike another condition such as entropion.

An eyelid fold is a condition in which the ciliary edge turns towards the conjunctival sac, and most often it affects the lower eyelid of the eye. An eyelid curl typically occurs in the elderly, as does the ingrowth of eyelashes discussed in this article.

Ingrown eyelashes - reasons

The causes of ingrown eyelashes include, first of all, the loss of proper elasticity of tissues related to age. The elasticity of the eyelids decreases, which leads to the eyelashes taking the wrong growth direction.

The cause of ingrown eyelashes and irritation of the conjunctiva can also be caused by the phenomenon called double-row lashings. This condition consists in the fact that one bulb gives rise to two eyelashes, which leads to the formation of their two rows within the eyelid.

The closer row of eyelashes can irritate the conjunctiva and the cornea and lead to irritation. Interestingly, in medicine there are also cases of the existence of three rows of eyelashes, which is called three rows.

Ingrown eyelashes - symptoms

Ingrown eyelashes may be associated with unpleasant symptoms, which is mainly related to the irritation of the conjunctiva of the eye and the cornea. The conjunctiva of the eye is the membrane that covers the back surfaces of both eyelids and the eyeball.

The cornea, on the other hand, is part of the anterior segment of the eye, consisting of 6 layers of cells, and is responsible for concentrating light rays (similar to the lens of the eye). Constant irritation of the conjunctiva by the eyelashes often leads to themignition.

The most common symptoms of ingrown eyelashes are:

  • red eyes,
  • itchy eyes,
  • burning within the conjunctiva,
  • tearing,
  • photophobia.

Ingrown eyelashes - complications

Ingrown eyelashes can lead not only to conjunctivitis of the eye, but also to damage to the cornea due to mechanical irritation. The cornea is the optical element of the eye, i.e. one of those elements that are responsible for the correct acuity of vision.

Corneal damage may therefore lead to deterioration of vision, which in turn may significantly reduce the patient's quality of life. In the case of chronic irritation of the cornea, it can also become inflamed, which also often leads to deterioration of vision.

Ingrown eyelashes - treatment

The irritating properties of incorrectly directed eyelashes can be eliminated by using special contact lenses, but this is only temporary and will not solve our problem comprehensively.

For the causal treatment of ingrown eyelashes, the following are mainly used:

  • mechanical epilation - it is simply removing improperly growing eyelashes with tweezers, this method works well for individual eyelashes with incorrect position, but be aware that eyelashes may grow back and also fall incorrectly,
  • diathermy - this method uses radio waves, thanks to which it is possible to overheat the tissues and remove unwanted eyelashes, this method gives permanent results,
  • cryotherapy (cryoepilation) - this method uses a very low temperature to remove ingrown eyelashes, this method gives long-lasting results,
  • laser therapy - this method uses a laser beam to destroy the hair bulb, which also allows for a permanent solution to the problem,
  • eyelid surgery - it is a procedure performed typically in the case of elderly people, in which the elasticity of the tissues is abnormal. Such a procedure prevents the eyelid from evolving. During the procedure, it is possible to cut out a fragment of the eyelid tissue along with the ingrown eyelashes.

Reconstruction of removed eyelashes after removal

In some clinical situations, it is necessary to remove many eyelashes, which may be unacceptable to the patient due to aesthetics. However, medicine has modern solutions in this area as well.

It is possible to reconstruct the eyelashes by transplanting them from another place, which allows for effective filling of the resulting defects.

Ingrown eyelashes - who to go to?

With the problem of ingrownseyelashes are best to go to an ophthalmologist. This specialist can use detailed examinations to assess the condition of our eyes and visual acuity. Currently, a visit to an ophthalmologist under the National He alth Fund requires a referral that can be obtained from your family doctor.

During the visit to the ophthalmologist, the doctor, after collecting a detailed interview and eye examination, will decide on further therapeutic procedures.

To sum up, ingrown eyelashes can cause great discomfort and deteriorate vision, so it is not worth underestimating this ophthalmic problem. A medical treatment performed by a doctor allows you to permanently get rid of the problem of ingrown eyelashes.

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Category:

Eye diseases and vision disorders