What will happen if trichiasis is not treated?

Written by Li Zhen Dong
Ophthalmology
Updated on November 18, 2024
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If trichiasis is not treated and allowed to progress, it can cause damage to the conjunctiva and the cornea. Particularly, corneal damage can lead to keratitis and corneal neovascularization, severely affecting vision and the transparency of the cornea. During treatment, if scarring occurs, such as thin corneal opacities, plaques, or leukomas, it can severely affect vision, and even lead to blindness. Therefore, while trichiasis itself is not severe, not treating it can lead to serious consequences. Currently, the main treatments for trichiasis include electrolysis of the eyelashes and surgical treatment, along with the use of eye drops, which generally results in a quick recovery.

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Written by Li Zhen Dong
Ophthalmology
49sec home-news-image

Can I pluck an inverted eyelash myself?

It is best not to pluck ingrown eyelashes yourself, as they will grow back even harder than before, and will grow irregularly in multiple directions instead of just outward. This will cause the eyelashes to grow disorderly. Ingrown eyelashes generally cause abrasion to the conjunctiva and cornea. If there are few ingrown eyelashes, treatment can be done by propping them up; if there are many, surgical treatment can be considered. To protect the corneal epithelium from ingrown eyelashes, certain eye drops like sodium hyaluronate may be used, along with anti-inflammatory eye drops like levofloxacin. With active treatment, recovery is usually complete. If not properly treated, it could gradually lead to corneal diseases, severely affecting vision.

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Written by Li Zhen Dong
Ophthalmology
46sec home-news-image

What will happen if trichiasis is not treated?

If trichiasis is not treated and allowed to progress, it can cause damage to the conjunctiva and the cornea. Particularly, corneal damage can lead to keratitis and corneal neovascularization, severely affecting vision and the transparency of the cornea. During treatment, if scarring occurs, such as thin corneal opacities, plaques, or leukomas, it can severely affect vision, and even lead to blindness. Therefore, while trichiasis itself is not severe, not treating it can lead to serious consequences. Currently, the main treatments for trichiasis include electrolysis of the eyelashes and surgical treatment, along with the use of eye drops, which generally results in a quick recovery.

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Written by Li Zhen Dong
Ophthalmology
1min 5sec home-news-image

Do a few inverted eyelashes need surgery?

If there are only a few inverted eyelashes, electrolysis of the eyelashes can be conducted. If there are many, surgical correction can be considered. The technology for surgical correction is currently quite mature, so there are generally not many problems. Inverted eyelashes must be treated. If left untreated, they can cause damage to the cornea. Damage to the cornea can lead to the growth of new blood vessels, resulting in a thin haze over the cornea, spots, and white patches, severely affecting vision. Although inverted eyelashes might seem like a minor issue, if not treated promptly, they can lead to serious complications. However, complete recovery is possible with treatment. It’s important to rest regularly, reduce close-up tasks, and use some corneal protective eye drops, such as sodium hyaluronate eye drops, and anti-inflammatory eye drops, such as levofloxacin eye drops. (Please use medication under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Wang Fang
Ophthalmology
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Will trichiasis cause the eyes to tear?

Trichiasis can cause the eyes to tear. Patients with trichiasis exhibit significant tearing symptoms because the cornea is rich in nerve endings and is very sensitive to foreign stimuli. In trichiasis, the eyelashes poke and irritate the cornea, thus stimulating the nerve endings and causing reflex tearing. Therefore, patients with trichiasis should be treated promptly to avoid irreversible damage to the cornea, such as scars or corneal ulcers. For minor trichiasis, local electrolysis can be used to destroy the hair follicles so they no longer grow; for more severe cases, it is recommended to visit a hospital for surgical correction of the trichiasis.

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Written by Wang Fang
Ophthalmology
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Can trichiasis be treated without surgery?

Whether surgery is needed for inverted eyelashes depends on the specific situation. If it is just one or a few eyelashes irritating the eyeball and the symptoms are not significant, you can choose the local electrolysis method to destroy the hair follicles of these eyelashes, preventing their regrowth. This will not affect the appearance and can fundamentally solve the problem. However, if there are a large number of inverted eyelashes causing significant irritation to the eyeball, surgery is recommended for correction. Without surgery, long-term irritation from the eyelashes could cause irreversible damage to the eye, such as scarring or ulcers on the cornea, which could eventually affect vision. Some patients might intermittently pull out the eyelashes, but this is not advisable, as the eyelashes will grow back.