Entropion is when your lower eyelid folds inward. Because of this, the eyelashes rub against the eyeball and can even damage the cornea. These scratchy hairs can cause irritation, a grainy feeling in the eye or sensitivity to bright light.
When the condition does not cause many complaints or when an operation is not meaningful, the eyelid can sometimes be kept in a good position with adhesive tape.
Entropion is usually caused by the ageing of the eyelid tissues, where a relaxing of the eyelid retractor muscles, among others, results in the eyelid being pulled inward. Additionally, scarring of the conjunctiva can cause entropion.
When there are no or few complaints or when it is not meaningful to operate, the ophthalmologist can opt to keep the eyelid in a good position by using adhesive tape and also by keeping the eye moist through the use of artificial tears, an eye gel or eye ointment.
In general, entropion can be fixed with an operation. This procedure takes place in the Eye Clinic in Winksele under local anasthesia and takes about 45 minutes. The goal of this procedure is to tighten the loose muscles of the under eyelid. A small incision will be made under the eyelashes. The wound is closed with stitches that will be removed after 7 days at the Eye Clinic.
Any blood thinning medications need to be stopped 10 days before the procedure. For this, you will need to consult your general practitioner or the specialist who prescribed you the medication. If you are not allowed to stop taking this medication, discuss this as soon as possible with your ophthalmologist.
You may resume taking blood thinners the day after the procedure. On the day of the procedure, we ask you not to wear make-up.
When you get an eyelid correction for entropion, it is a good idea to take someone with you to the Eye Clinic to accompany you. You are not allowed to drive yourself after the operation. The ophthalmologist will not cover your eyes afterward, but the eyelids will be swollen, and this can influence your vision.
Usually the bottom eyelid will be temporarily red and swollen due to bruising which will gradually go away. You could also feel like your eye is irritated or that there's a grain of sand in it. This can usually be relieved with artificial tears.
You can take an over-the-counter pain medicine, for example Dafalgan, should you have any pain.
De During the first week after the operation, you should avoid any activities that create pressure in the head or eyes, including heavy lifting or intense sports. This is to prevent any post-op bleeding. You are also advised not to wear any eye make-up the first week and also not to wear contact lenses. You can shower and wash your hair as usual.
The skin around the eye will be extra sensitive to sunlight the first weeks. Due to sunlight, discoloration of the scars can appear. Avoid direct sunlight and use sunscreen with a high sun protection factor.
The ophthalmologist will remove the stitches a week after the procedure at the Eye Clinic in Winksele. Six weeks after the procedure you will have a check-up at the Eye Clinic in order to assess the results of the operation.
In most cases, one operation is enough to get the under eyelid back to its original position. It is not always possible to get a perfect result. Very rarely do any problems arise during wound healing.
This procedure is partially reimbursed by your Health Insurance.
Ectropion is when the under eyelid is turned outward. The mucous membrane, which is normally on the inside of the eyelid, is visible and becomes irritated. Patients with ectropion consult their ophthalmologist because of eye irritation and excessive tearing (watery eyes). The eye may also be sensitive to bright light and wind.
If the condition only causes minimal complaints or if the operation will not be meaningful, then the eyelid can sometimes be kept in a good position with adhesive tape.
Ectropion is usually caused by the aging of tissues in the under eyelid which causes a horizontal looseness. As a result, the eyelid may hang lower and turn outward. In some cases, ectropion is caused by scarring or by a growth on the outside of the eyelid.
When there are no or few complaints or when it is not meaningful to operate, the ophthalmologist can opt to keep the eye moist through the use of artificial tears, an eye gel or eye ointment.
In general, ectropion can be fixed with an operation. The procedure is carried out under local anesthesia by your ophthalmologist at the Eye Clinic in Winksele and takes approximately 45 minutes. The idea is to make the under eyelid tight again. This is achieved through a small incision under the eyelashes and sometimes in the further corners of the eye. The wounds are closed with stitches that will be removed after 7 days at the Eye Clinic in Winksele.
Any blood thinning medications need to be stopped 10 days before the procedure. For this, you will need to consult your general practitioner or the specialist who prescribed you the medication. If you are not allowed to stop taking this medication, discuss this as soon as possible with your ophthalmologist.
You may resume taking blood thinners the day after the procedure. On the day of the procedure, we ask you not to wear make-up.
When you get an eyelid correction for ectropion, it is a good idea to take someone with you to the eye clinic to accompany you. You are not allowed to drive yourself directly after the operation. The ophthalmologist will not cover your eyes afterward, but the eyelids will be swollen, and this can influence your vision.
Usually the bottom eyelid will be temporarily red and swollen due to bruising which will gradually go away. You could also feel like your eye is irritated or that there's a grain of sand in it. This can usually be relieved with artificial tears. It is normal that the under eyelid feels a bit too tight the first days after the procedure.
You can take an over-the-counter pain medicine, for example Dafalgan, should you have any pain.
During the first week after the operation, you should avoid any activities that create pressure in the head or eyes, including heavy lifting or intense sports. This is to prevent any post-op bleeding. You are also advised not to wear any eye make-up the first week and also not to wear contact lenses. You can shower and wash your hair as usual.
The skin around the eye will be extra sensitive to sunlight the first weeks. Due to sunlight, discoloration of the scars can appear. Avoid direct sunlight and use sunscreen with a high sun protection factor.
The ophthalmologist will remove the stitches a week after the procedure at the Eye Clinic in Winksele. Six weeks after the procedure you will have a check-up at the Eye Clinic in order to assess the results of the operation.
In most cases, one operation is enough to get the under eyelid back to its original position. It is not always possible to get a perfect result. In the case of a long pre-existing ectropion, often the mucuous membrane on the inside of the eyelid has thickened, making it more difficult to correct the condition. It is not always possible to fix a tearing eye (watery eye). Very rarely do any problems arise during wound healing, and very rarely does a small indentation remain at the edge of the eyelid.
This procedure is partially reimbursed by your Health Insurance.
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