Can Eyelashes Turn Under??!

[INeedAdvice]

I know of an elderly patient with dementia that has had ongoing eye problems for almost 2 years (before that, her eyes had always been normal & fine except for having cataract surgery about 10 years ago).

She only sees a GP, but nothing other than 3 prescriptions (about 10 days/prescription) of eyedrops with antibiotics were given to her over the 2 years ...& now that those have run out, the GP won't give anymore. Therefore, her only "treatment" has been over-the-counter Natural Tears eyedrops twice daily.

I noticed that her bottom eyelashes actually turn IN (not out) against her eyeball because her elderly skin is so soft & wrinkley that her bottom eyelid is folding under.

HAS ANYONE EVER HEARD OF THIS PHENOMENA?

I've also noticed that she gets this yellowish mucous in her eyes on a daily basis (so much of it that they are closed shut a lot of times)...so I'm guessing there's a bacterial infection going on ? Or would a constant irritation of eyelashes against the white of her eyes cause a yellow mucous? (I would've thought that a chronic irritation would cause a clear mucous ...therefore the yellow mucous could be bacterial??)

Thanks for any input.

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[Redhawk]

Sounds like entropion.

http://www.eyesearch.com/entropion.jpg
http://www.emedicine.com/oph/topic212.htm

 

[Andrew_Doan]

Sounds like entropion.

http://www.eyesearch.com/entropion.jpg
http://www.emedicine.com/oph/topic212.htm

I agree. This sounds like entropion. Mattering does not always equate to bacterial infection. This may be a manifestation of constant irritation from the lashes.

 

[INeedAdvice]

That's it ! You guys are good.

I'm going to check out those links.

Thanks.

Sounds like entropion.

http://www.eyesearch.com/entropion.jpg
http://www.emedicine.com/oph/topic212.htm