Overview
Eyelashes typically grow outward, away from the globe of the eye. When lashes grow inward instead, the result is a painful condition called ingrown eyelashes, or trichiasis. The person may notice ingrown eyelashes scattered across one of his eyelids, or he may find a clump of ingrown lashes close to one another.
Causes
According to Baptist Eye Surgeons, ingrown eyelashes tend to follow chronic inflammation, or irritation, of the eyelid. Eyelid infections and skin disease can start the cycle of inflammation and eventually cause lashes to grow inward. An individual may also develop ingrown lashes if she injures her eye and the lid doesn’t heal properly, or if she develops some scarring after eye surgery. People with heavily hooded eyes, older adults and children with some congenital eye conditions are at higher risk of developing ingrown lashes, according to Eyecareproblems.com.
Features
Ingrown lashes may be of normal color and thickness, or they may be fine, white, colorless lashes. In either case, it’s difficult to see the ingrown lash without a magnifying device. Ingrown eyelashes can cause eye irritation, redness, constant watering and itching. The person may feel like he has something gritty or scratchy in his eye, and his vision may blur.
Considerations
Ingrown eyelashes can damage the cornea, or transparent outer covering of the eye, and cause significant pain. A corneal abrasion, or scratch, can heal improperly, causing corneal scarring that leads to permanent vision impairment. In some cases, ingrown eyelashes cause a corneal ulcer that results in a cataract, which is a clouding of the lens of the eye, or glaucoma, an eye disease that damages the optic nerve that carries images from the eye to the brain.
Treatment
According to Baptist Eye Surgeons, a doctor may simply pluck ingrown lashes from the eyelid to relieve discomfort. Another option is to remove the lash follicle through electrolysis, which involves passing an electrical current through the base of the lash to kill the hair-producing cells. Finally, the physician may recommend using an Argon laser to remove the follicle permanently.
Results
The experts at Baptist Eye Surgeons say removing ingrown eyelashes can be effective in the short term, but there’s a good chance the individual will develop painful ingrown lashes again when they grow back in. For permanent relief, they recommend removing the lash follicle. Unfortunately, about 1/3 of the follicles removed by electrolysis or laser do grow back in, requiring another round of treatment in about six weeks.
Prevention/Solution
Good hygiene can reduce the risk of developing eye inflammation and ingrown lashes. It’s important to wash hands well before touching the eyes, and avoid sharing costmetics with others, according to Eyecareproblems.com.
