Ingrown Eyelash: What Causes It and How to Treat It?

Trichiasis, another name for ingrown eyelashes, is a common eye problem that affects millions of individuals worldwide. Experts classify it as an ocular surface disease. Persistent cases can cause discomfort and irritation, but if treatment is not received, they can also result in serious problems such as corneal abrasion or even visual impairment. Ingrown eyelashes can have a wide range of underlying causes, but genetic factors are important, as are environmental variables like chronic inflammation, according to Dr. John Hovanesian, M.D., an ophthalmologist with Harvard training. Due to weakened health circumstances that significantly raise their likelihood of acquiring trichiasis, certain patients with cirrhosis or any form of liver illness regularly encounter ingrown lashes.

It frequently begins with symptoms like dust particles being stuck in your eyes, followed by redness, light sensitivity, and continuous watering.

What Is Ingrown Eyelash?

An ingrown eyelash is a condition where the lashes grow inward towards the eye instead of outward. Such abnormal development results in discomfort and irritation because it frequently comes into contact with sensitive tissues like the cornea or conjunctiva.

Recurrent occurrence of ingrown eyelash can cause major harm if not treated, including vision impairment or small scratched on the surface of the eyeball leading to watery eyes and light sensitivity. Even Though surgery is the most effective treatment option, lubricating eye drops have also been found to provide adequate relief.

What are the causes?

Ingrown eyelashes can be caused by multiple factors. Here are some of the causes:

• Genetic Factors: trichiasis is more likely to occur if there is a family history of the disorder.
• Chronic Inflammation: Blepharitis, a chronic inflammatory disorder involving inflammation of the eyelid margins, can cause your lashes to grow inward and misdirect. Recurrent inflammations increase the risk because they interfere with the usual pattern of lash production.
• Trauma or Eye Injury: The lash follicles are destroyed by any direct trauma or injury to the eye, which causes them to grow inward towards the eyeball rather than outward. It usually occurs after eye surgery, such as cataract surgery, but minor traumas appear to have an equal probability of producing it.
• Ageing Factor: The natural ageing process frequently results in loosening and elasticity of the skin surrounding the eyes. As a result, newly emerging lashes enter the eye surface because sagging lids are unable to guide them in the right direction.

Symptoms

Some of the symptoms of ingrown eyelash are:

• Persistent Irritation: The irritating friction caused by ingrown eyelashes is permanent. It appears as though something foreign—like dust or sand—has become stuck in the eye.
• Redness: The surface of the eye, especially the delicate corneas, is continuously rubbed by these misdirected lashes. Typically, this leads to inflammation, which causes red eyes that the general public may mistake for conjunctivitis.
• Epiphora (Watery Eyes): Consistent eye watering is another symptom that is due to your body's natural reaction is to eliminate what it considers to be foreign, which are misdirected hairs.
• Photophobia (Light Sensitivity): photophobia makes people more sensitive to light than usual. Bright sunlight or intense interior illumination exacerbates this unnerving sensitivity, which significantly disrupts daily activities.
• Decreased Vision Quality: If untreated trichiasis continues for an extended period of time, corneal abrasions, ulcers, and scarring may cause hazy vision, which may eventually result in irreversible visual impairment.

How To Treat An Ingrown Eyelash

Reducing discomfort and preventing more problems are the primary objectives of treating an ingrown eyelash. Below is a list of several commonly used therapies:

• Eyelash Trimming: By minimising contact between the lash and the eye surface, regular trimming reduces irritation.
• Epilation (Lash Plucking): Commonly performed under local anaesthesia, doctors use forceps to temporarily remove misdirected lashes. This procedure provides immediate comfort, but it does require frequent visits because regrowth does occur.
• Electrolysis/Laser Therapy: For recurring cases, advanced methods that use electric current or laser beams, respectively, to completely destroy hair follicles are available, ensuring a permanent halt to future development.
• Prescription ointments and drops for the eyes: Because topical medications not only protect against friction but also treat other symptoms like redness, irritation, etc., they serve as a first line of defence before surgical methods are investigated.

Furthermore, cryosurgery radiation is a final choice for serious, persistent cases where a frozen lid affected a section, conclusively preventing further occurrences. Trichiasis

When To see Your Doctor

It's imperative to consult a doctor as soon as certain symptoms appear or become chronic. The following are concerning symptoms: 

• Excessive tear production that interferes with daily activities; 
• Persistent irritation and a sensation of a foreign body in the eye despite self-care efforts;
• Persistent redness that does not go away with rest and lubricating drops; 
• Sensitivity to any light that causes discomfort; and 
• Evidence of blurred vision and difficulty focussing on objects.

You must seek medical attention as soon as possible if these issues persist for more than a few days, since failing to do so may result in severe damage that could cause irreversible vision loss.

Bottomline

Trichiasis, sometimes referred to as ingrown eyelash, is a condition where the lashes grow in the wrong direction—into the eyeball rather than outward. Environmental variables including chronic inflammation and genetics play a major role in its pathogenesis.

Redness from frequent contact with sensitive eye areas, increased tear production, ongoing eye irritation akin to a foreign body sensation, and epiphora are typical symptoms of this illness. Photophobia which is a sensitivity to light that can cause serious vision impairment and potentially permanent damage if treatment is not received.

Therefore, when these issues persist for more than a few days, it is imperative to seek medical advice as soon as possible. Early detection and appropriate treatment can effectively manage this uncomfortable eye ailment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to treat an ingrown eyelash?

To treat an ingrown eyelash, misplaced lashes are extracted from the root under local anaesthesia using techniques like electrolysis, laser therapy, or surgery; in less severe cases, lubricating eyedrops offer considerable comfort.

How do you know if you have an ingrown eyelash?

Redness, light sensitivity, uncontrollably wet eyes, and persistent eye discomfort that feels like a foreign object in your eyes are all signs of an ingrown eyelash.

How do you remove an ingrown eyelash entropion?

In order to remove an ingrown eyelash in entropion, an ophthalmologist would typically use a specialised treatment called epilation, which uses microforceps to remove the entire hair follicle and stop it from growing again.

What happens if you leave an ingrown eyelash?

Ignoring an ingrown eyelash issue could have major repercussions, such as corneal ulcers or abrasions, which could create scar tissues that could significantly impair vision if treatment is not received.