Ectropion

Ectropion is a condition that occurs when your eyelid turns outward away from your eyeball. This drooping of your eyelid exposes your eye, causing issues with the drainage of your tears and irritation to the front of your eye. When your eyes aren’t fully lubricated, it can lead to severe dryness and inflammation. Ectropion is the opposite of entropion, the inward turning of your eyelid.

Ectropion can happen to your upper or lower eyelid, but it most often affects your lower lid. It can occur in one or both eyes. If you’ve developed the condition, treatment is available. An eye care specialist may recommend a noninvasive option, like artificial tears. If the problem persists, they may recommend surgery.

Types of ectropion

There are a variety of types of ectropion that can affect your eyes. They’re broadly divided into groups called congenital (something you’re born with) and acquired (something that happens over time). The congenital type is the least common. There are four acquired types:

• Involutional. Involutional ectropion is the most common type. It happens because muscles and ligaments get lax (loose) as you get older.
• Paralytic. Paralytic ectropion is related to an injury involving your facial nerve or nerves that control your eyelid.
• Cicatricial. Cicatricial ectropion occurs due to damage to your skin following an injury, surgery or sun exposure, leaving behind scar tissue, which contracts and pulls your eyelid outward.
• Mechanical. Mechanical ectropion occurs when something like a tumor or mass weighs down and displaces your lower eyelid.