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What Is Entropion?
Entropion is a condition where the eyelid rolls in and the eyelashes rub against the cornea. It is most commonly seen in the lower eyelids. Typically, patients are referred by their ophthalmologist or optometrist for surgical repair of entropion.
What Kind of Symptoms Would a Patient Have with Entropion?
Symptoms from entropion could include eye irritation, foreign body sensation, tearing, mucus discharge, crusting, corneal scarring, and even impaired vision. It is not uncommon to have this condition occur bilaterally, and it is typically seen much more commonly in the lower eyelids than in the upper eyelids.
What Causes Entropion?
Entropion is typically caused by aging changes in the eyelids. It occurs secondary to aging changes of the eyelids. Although less common, other conditions can cause entropion, such as scarring in the cheek area from burns or from previous skin cancer, allergic reactions, or even inflammatory conditions.
What Is the Treatment for Entropion?
The treatment for entropion is a surgical procedure to reattach the lower eyelid to the correct anatomic position. This is performed on an outpatient basis at a surgery center. The procedure typically takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes per eyelid, and there will be dissolving sutures evident along the lash line.
What Type of Anesthesia Is Used for Entropion Surgical Correction?
Anesthesia for surgical correction of lower lid entropions is typically IV sedation (MAC anesthesia), which is a procedure where the anesthesia team will administer small increments of a sedative to allow the patient to be relaxed while the local anesthetic is administered into the eyelid region. This is a pain-free procedure for the patient, and this is performed at a local outpatient surgery center.
What Is the Recovery Following Entropion Repair?
Patients at the Mack Center who undergo entropions describe this as a pain-free procedure done on an outpatient basis at a local surgery center. The procedure typically takes 10 to 15 minutes per eyelid. There are dissolving sutures, which are noted afterward.
The patient is asked to apply ice compresses for the first 24 to 48 hours following the surgery and also to place a topical antibiotic/steroid ointment twice a day for the first week.
The patient will be seen for post-operative evaluations at the Mack Center following this outpatient procedure.
What Can a Patient Expect Following Surgical Correction of Entropion?
Following surgical correction of entropion surgery by Dr. Mack, the patient will notice almost immediate relief of their symptoms (foreign body sensation, irritation, tearing, and mucus discharge) as the lower eyelid is returned to its natural anatomic position where the lashes are not rubbing on the eye. Oftentimes, these patients have suffered from this condition for many weeks or even months, and they are very pleased with the relief of their symptoms.
For more information on entropions correction, contact Dr. Mack’s office at 813-875-LIDS or schedule a consultation today.
Be sure and visit our Before & After gallery for this procedure.