What is it?

It is an eyelid pathology in which the lower eyelid is everted (slopes downwards and outwards), which moves it away from the ocular surface and prevents the normal functioning of the eyelids.

Causes

Ectropion can occur naturally due to age, disease, or an injury to the eyelid.
The most common cause is eyelid laxity (the eyelid becomes more floppy) due to age. Other less common causes include scars or tumors. Facial paralysis, in which ectropion occurs due to muscle weakness (orbicular muscle), deserves special attention.

Can ectropion be prevented?

If the person presents a picture of eyelid laxity associated with age, avoiding continuous traction on the lower eyelid (pulling the eyelid or rubbing the eyelid vigorously) in a vertical direction, can reduce its advancement. In those cases, in which ectropion is associated with eyelid lesions (tumors), exeresis (removal) in the early stages of the tumor can prevent the appearance of ectropion. If it is a scar ectropion, its onset can be prevented by avoiding wide resections of the cheekbone and / or lower eyelid.

Symptoms

The eyelids do not work properly and will be unable to evacuate the tear, causing tearing. Other symptoms include hyperemia (red eye), ocular burning / stinging, and / or foreign body sensation (gritty eyes).

Diagnosis

In very advanced cases, ectropion can be diagnosed with the naked eye. For more incipient cases, a complete ophthalmological examination, with special attention to the anterior segment and the palpebral dynamics is indicated.

Prognosis

If the ectropion is not corrected with surgery, a progressive worsening of the disease can be expected. Chronic irritation of the tarsal conjunctiva (conjunctiva of the eyelids) occurs, causing its keratinization (hardening), which induces a worsening of symptoms.

Treatment

The treatment indicated for ectropion is surgery, although there are different medical treatments (artificial tears and / or anti-inflammatory) aimed to treat ectropion symptoms, rather than the problem itself.
Some of the most used techniques are the lateral tarsal strip and blepharectomy. Typically, a retractor muscle reattachment technique (muscles that tense the lower eyelid vertically) is usually necessary.