Ectropion

Ectropion is a condition in which the lower (rarely the upper) eyelid of one or both eyes is turned outwards.
This results in the eye not being adequately protected, both because the eyelid involved pulls away from the eyeball and because the eyelid margins do not meet when they close.

In addition, in the case of ectropion, tears fall outside the eye, failing to perform their lubricating, moisturising and protective action; this can cause inflammation and thickening of the eyelid itself, further aggravating the ectropion condition and also causing injury to the corneal surface.

As a rule, the typical symptoms of ectropion are as follows:

• Redness and burning of the eyes;
• Dryness of the eyes (despite excessive tearing);
• Feeling of having something in the eye;
• Mucus and crusts on the eyelid;
• Blurred vision.

In general, the main cause of ectropion is ageing: with advancing age, the tissues around the eyes lose their firmness; this can be accompanied by a general weakening of the muscles of the eyelids (hyperlaxity).

Ectropion can also have other causes, such as paralysis of the facial nerve, scars (from trauma, burns, etc.) or eyelid formations (which turn the eyelid outwards with their weight)