Entropion: Problem, Diagnosis and Treatment

What is entropion?

Entropion is the term used to describe the inward rolling of the eyelid skin which, when in contact with the surface of the eye causes irritation, discomfort, pain and can lead to development of sight-threatening ulcers.

Causes of entropion

Both dogs and cats can suffer from entropion and there are a variety of reasons this can happen. These include a breed-related predisposition, hereditary predisposition, as a result of pain and discomfort or commonly seen in some geriatric patients, later in life.

Signs of entropion

The most consistent problem seen with entropion is rolling of the hair of the eyelid inwards and touching the surface of the eye, which in turn leads to irritation and persistent watering of the eye. Pain, discomfort and persistent blinking in one or both eyes are usually seen in conjunction with entropion.

Diagnosis of entropion

Diagnosis of entropion is made based on the characteristic appearance of the eyelid hair rubbing on the surface of the eye. In some cases, entropion develops secondary to other problems such us corneal ulcers or eye injuries. Your local vets can assess the problem in the first instance and discuss the most appropriate treatment or referral for an assessment with our specialists.

Treatment of entropion

Entropion can affect one or both eyes and requires surgical correction. Depending on your pet’s age at the time of the problem, a variety of procedures can be offered including temporary tacking sutures, surgical correction or eyelid filler injections. Our ophthalmologists will discuss these options with you, depending on which treatment is more appropriate for your pet.

Prognosis of entropion

Prognosis depends on the complexity of each case and the number of eyelids affected but most of the cases recover well after a single procedure and recurrence of the problem is rarely encountered. Although not a problem encountered often, in some cases the problem may be under- or over-corrected and further surgeries may also be required. This is usually an issue for animals suffering from multiple problems (i.e., problems affecting all four eyelids, requiring removal of redundant skin folds or having overlong eyelids in addition to entropion).

After care advice

The post-operative period is usually 7-10 days, during this time your pet will have to wear a buster collar to protect them from rubbing their eyes. This aims to protect your pet from scratching the eye and complicating the healing of the eye as the irritation and pain can persist a few days after the surgery.