Eyelash Growing IN eye

[merriwen]

I am sorry, this may seem a little bizarre, but I have an eyelash that grows out of the fleshy bit in the corner of my eye and it is causing me a lot of discomfort. I noticed it the first time when the hair follicle had become a little infected - I thought that it was a loose eyelash that had gone into the flashy corner of my eye and I removed the eyelash. As it came away easily, it did not occur to me that the eyelash had actually grown there. I have noticed that there has been regrowth and it is a cause of a lot of discomfort as it feels like a eyelash is constantly in my eye. I am loathed to pull them out to frequently as I definitely do not want an ingrown eyelash there. What can I do? I have not known anyone else who has this problem.

[Nancy T]

I was amazed when my optometrist told me several years ago that I had an eyelash growing into the eyeball. My eyes sometimes feel gritty or like there is something in them, and the left was always worse, but I had no idea it was an eyelash! She pulled it out, but I have no idea if it's grown back. I never saw the thing in the first place, even though I kept looking to see if there was an eyelash stuck in there when it felt like there was.

The idea of pulling things out of my eye gives me a huge case of the creeps... I don't know how anyone could do it themselves! It's a torturous ordeal just for me to put in eyedrops. (On the other hand, I used to like to gross out my daughter by showing her how far I could pull and stretch the skin of my eyelid... then I suddenly realized that's probably not a good idea in a middle-aged woman who has no plans for a facelift! :)

[romanam]

hi merriwen
i have this bizarre thing too. like you, i though this fine little eyelash right in the corner of my eye was a loose one and was surprised to find it was growing there!
i've just continued to pull out and have had no problems with ingrown hairs or it growing back more coarsely.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Eyelashes rubbing against the eye is called trichiasis and is common. Your choices are pretty limited: continue to pull them out or see an ophthalmologist that does eyelash electrectrolysis and try and destroy the follice root with a fine needle insertion.

JCH III MD