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Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

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Illustration showing entropion Entropion

Entropion (en-TROH-pe-on) is a condition in which your eyelid turns inward so that your eyelashes and skin rub against the eye surface, causing irritation and discomfort.

When you have entropion, your eyelid may be turned in all the time or it may only turn inward when you blink forcibly or tightly squeeze your eyelids shut. Entropion occurs most often in older adults, and it generally affects only your lower eyelid.

Artificial tears and lubricating ointments can help relieve symptoms of entropion, but you'll often need surgery to correct it. Left untreated, entropion can cause damage to the clear part of your eye (cornea), eye infections and vision loss.

Symptoms
References
  1. Pereira MG, et al. Eyelid entropion. Seminars in Ophthalmology. 2010;25:52.
  2. Entropion. American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. http://www.asoprs.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3651. Accessed Oct. 15, 2012.
  3. Boboridis KG, et al. Interventions for involutional lower lid entropion. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD002221.pub2/abstract. Accessed Oct. 31, 2012.
  4. Wright HR. Epidemiology, diagnosis, and management of trachoma. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Nov. 5, 2012.
  5. Yanoff M, ed., et al. Ophthalmology. 3rd ed. Edinburgh, U.K.: Mosby Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/212799885-2/0/1869/0.html. Accessed Oct. 31, 2012.
  6. Gerstenblith AT, et al., eds. The Wills Eye Manual: Office and Emergency Room Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Disease. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Wolters Kluwer Health Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2012. http://ovidsp.ovid.com/ovidweb.cgi?T=JS&CSC=Y&NEWS=N&PAGE=booktext&D=books3&AN=01626623/6th_Edition/2&XPATH=/OVIDBOOK%5b1%5d/METADATA%5b1%5d/TBY%5b1%5d/EDITORS%5b1%5d. Accessed Nov. 1, 2012.
DS01094 Jan. 22, 2013

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