When it comes to effective eye care, there are plenty of options we have to deal with various structures of the eye, such as the lenses, the corneas, and the retinas. Many people neglect to consider their eyelids when it comes to effective vision care, however. They shouldn’t. There are a few eyelid conditions that can affect your vision and your appearance, which the team at our Rapid City, SD and Williston, ND laser eye surgery center would like to go over right now.
What is ectropion?
Ectropion refers to a condition in which the eyelid turns outwards (usually the lower eyelid). Apart from the unappealing appearance, ectropion can cause irritation of the eyes, pain, dry eye, and even excessive tearing of the eyes.
Causes of Ectropion
Some of the most common causes of ectropion include:
- Relaxed or weakened muscles of the eyelid
- Paralysis of the face
- Growths on the eyelid
- Scarred tissue of the eyelid
- Rapid and severe weight loss
- Genetics (occurs at birth)
Treating Ectropion
Our South Dakota eye doctors have a number of treatment options for ectropion. For ectropion caused by growths on the lower eyelids, removal of the growth is usually helpful. For ectropion caused by weakened muscles, part of the lower eyelid will be removed so that the muscles can support the eyelid better. For scar tissue-related ectropion, a skin graft will be used to revise the tissue of the lower eyelid.
What is entropion?
Entropion refers to a condition in which the eyelid turns inward (usually the lower eyelid). This can be very painful to a person since the eyelashes rub up against the eyeball. Symptoms of entropion include discomfort, redness around the eye, poor vision due to corneal damage, and acute sensitivity to light and wind.
Causes of Entropion
Some of the most common causes of entropion include:
- Relaxed or weakened muscles of the eyelid
- Scarred tissue of the eyelid
- Infections or skin diseases
- Eye surgery
Treating Entropion
There are a few different treatments that we may try at our South Dakota eye care center. Stitches or a special transparent tape known as skin tape may be used to help turn the eyelid outward. BOTOX® injections may also provide helpful in turning the eyelid outwards. In many cases, patients will require skin grafting or tissue removal surgery similar to ectropion.
What is ptosis?
Ptosis is a condition in which the upper eyelid or lower eyelid droops. In many cases of ptosis, it appears that one eye is partially shut while the other is wide open. If untreated (especially in childhood), ptosis can eventually lead to problems with vision development, such as astigmatism or lazy eye.
Causes of Ptosis
Some of the most common causes of ptosis include:
- Weakened eyelid muscles
- Injured eyelid muscles
- Exposure to certain drugs or toxins
- Genetics
Treating Ptosis
In most cases, Williston, ND oculoplastics is the best option for treating ptosis. This usually involves treatments to strengthen the levator muscles of the eyelids.
