Ectropion
Alternate Names : Eversion of the Eyelid, Outward Turning of the Eyelid
Ectropion is an outward turning, or eversion, of the eyelid margin. It may be mild or a total eversion, which exposes the mucous membrane lining underneath the lid. It usually involves the lower lid and not the upper.
What is going on in the body?
Ectropion formation may be congenital, or present at birth. Ectropion may also develop following changes in the tone of eye muscles, or the skin around the eye.
What are the causes and risks of the condition?
In younger people, ectropion may occur after an injury with scarring that causes the lid margin to relax away from the eyeball. In elderly people, the condition is often caused by relaxation and stretching of the underlying muscles in the eyelid.
Other causes of ectropion include:
severe facial nerve palsy, or paralysis
burns
eyelid tumors
unrepaired fractures of the bones around the eye
allergies, with skin dryness and redness
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