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Ectropion
Ectropion (turning out of the eyelid) is the most common lower eyelid malposition and can cause tearing, irritation and dryness. Surgery involves tightening the eyelid and sometimes also eye retractor muscles.
What is an Ectropion?
Ectropion often starts with eyelid laxity allowing the lid to sag away from the eye. Mild cases may not visibly turn away from the eye but can cause tearing, irritation, and/or dryness of the cornea. More severe cases will result in the eyelid visibly turned away from the eye.
Symptoms may include excessive tearing, chronic irritation, redness, pain, a gritty feeling, crusting of the eyelid, mucous discharge, infection and in extreme cases damage to the cornea and vision.
What Causes Ectropion?
Ectropion most commonly results from ageing changes causing tissues to stretch and the eyelid to loosen. However, it may also occur from facial weakness (from Bell’s palsy, stroke, or other neurologic conditions), trauma, skin scarring, previous surgeries, or eyelid tumours.
Treatment of Ectropion
Most commonly, the eyelid is tightened at the outside corner of the eye and may include tightening of the lax retractor muscles to restore and stabilise the eyelid to its normal position. A thin suture will run along the incision line which is removed 7 – 14 days post operatively. For patients with scarred and tight skin, a skin graft may be required which is often taken from either the inner upper arm, collar bone region, in front of the ear, or behind the ear. Surgical and recovery time will be longer in these cases.
The surgery is performed as a day procedure under local anaesthetic and sedation, and typically takes 45-60 minutes. Ectropion surgery often results in rapid resolution of the eyelid malposition. In the vast majority of cases, after the eyelid has healed the small scar from this minimally invasive procedure should barely be noticeable. The eye will feel more comfortable and should be protected from exposure.
What to Expect During Recovery from Ectropion Surgery?
- Bruising and swelling can be expected for up to 2-6 weeks post operatively. This is a normal part of the post-operative recovery and invariably settles in time.
- Itch along the incision site can occur and usually resolves with removal of sutures
- A gritty feeling to the eyes post-surgery is normal, particularly in the first 2 weeks
- Your vision may be slightly blurred for the first week post surgery
- You may notice some tenderness around the outside corner of the eyelid as a deep suture is placed here. This usually settles with time.
- Sutures will be removed 7 – 14 days post operatively
Possible Risks of Ectropion Surgery
In general ectropion surgery is very safe, however as with all surgery certain risks and complications can occur:
- Although uncommon there is a small chance of excess scarring, bruising, swelling, or wound infection.
- There may be some asymmetry of the contour of the lids
- Very rarely over or under correction of the ectropion can occur that may require further surgery
- Ectropion can recur over time
- Although there is a theoretical risk of vision loss and double vision, this is incredibly rare but has been reported in the medical literature.
Outcome of Ectropion surgery
Our surgeons have extensive experience and expertise in ectropion surgery utilising minimally invasive techniques that reduce both scarring and healing time. Post operatively it is helpful to expect an improvement in symptoms and appearance of the lids with a natural look that is not overdone.
Want to know more about ectropion surgery? At Northern Sydney Cataract, we are here to help!
If you have specific questions, please call our friendly staff on 02 9958 0552 or email us at info@nscataract.com.au
For appointments and enquiries, please phone 02 9958 0552
Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm
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