{"id":1821,"date":"2026-10-20T08:52:17","date_gmt":"2026-10-20T08:52:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/laseristanbulclinic.com\/eye-glossary\/entropion-and-ectropion\/"},"modified":"2026-10-20T12:56:43","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T12:56:43","slug":"entropion-and-ectropion","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/laseristanbulclinic.com\/en\/eye-glossary\/entropion-and-ectropion\/","title":{"rendered":"Entropion and Ectropion: Eyelid Turned In or Out (People, Dogs and Cats)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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    Entropion and Ectropion: Eyelid Turned In or Out (People, Dogs and Cats)<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

    Medically reviewed by {{surgeon}}<\/span> \u00b7 {{date}}<\/span><\/strong>, {{surgeon’s title and specialty}}<\/span>. Last updated {{date}}<\/span>.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

    \"Illustration<\/figure><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n
    \n\t\t<\/svg>Definition<\/span>\n\t\t\t

    Entropion<\/strong> is an eyelid that turns inwards, so the lashes and the lid edge rub against the eye. Ectropion<\/strong> is an eyelid that turns outwards, so the lid sags away from the eye. Both mostly affect the lower lid in older adults, can harm the cornea if left alone, and are corrected with minor eyelid surgery, the field of Prof. Dr. Ahmet Sat\u0131c\u0131 at Laser Istanbul Clinic. People who search “entropion dog” are asking about the same fault in pets: it is common in dogs, and only a vet can treat it.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n\n

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    Entropion and ectropion: key facts<\/h2><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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    <\/svg>Entropion<\/span><\/dt>
    The margin of the upper or lower eyelid turns inwards against the surface of the eye<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Ectropion<\/span><\/dt>
    The lower eyelid turns outwards and droops away from the eye<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Most common cause<\/span><\/dt>
    Ageing: loosening of the muscles, tendons and tissue that hold the lid in place (involutional change)<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Typical symptoms<\/span><\/dt>
    Entropion: irritation, a gritty or foreign-body feeling, watering, redness. Ectropion: watering (the most common symptom), red sore eyes, dryness, sometimes repeated conjunctivitis<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Main risk<\/span><\/dt>
    Entropion: lashes scratching the cornea (abrasion, ulcer). Ectropion: an exposed, dry eye; rarely, corneal infection<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Usual treatment<\/span><\/dt>
    Surgery to reposition the lid, usually under local anaesthetic as a day case; mild ectropion may only need lubricating drops or ointment<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Specialist<\/span><\/dt>
    Oculoplastic (eyelid) surgeon; at Laser Istanbul Clinic, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Sat\u0131c\u0131<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>In pets<\/span><\/dt>
    Entropion is the most frequent inherited eyelid defect in many dog breeds and also affects cats; it needs a vet<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n\n
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    What is the difference between entropion and ectropion?<\/h2>\n\t\t\t

    The two terms are opposites. In entropion the lid edge rolls in, so the lashes and lid margin touch the eye<\/strong>. In ectropion the lid edge rolls out, so the inner surface of the lid is exposed and the lid no longer hugs the eye<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\t\t\t

    <\/th>Entropion<\/th>Ectropion<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    Direction<\/th>Lid turns inwards<\/td>Lid turns outwards<\/td><\/tr>
    Usual lid<\/th>Lower (the upper can be affected, mainly from scarring)<\/td>Lower<\/td><\/tr>
    What hurts the eye<\/th>Lashes and lid edge rubbing the cornea<\/td>Dryness from poor lid closure; tears that cannot drain<\/td><\/tr>
    Leading symptom<\/th>Irritation, a gritty feeling, watering<\/td>Watering, redness, dryness<\/td><\/tr>
    Most common cause in adults<\/th>Age-related lid instability<\/td>Age-related laxity of the lid and its tendons<\/td><\/tr>
    Other causes<\/th>Scarring from injury, chemical burns, inflammation or infection (trachoma), eyelid spasm<\/td>Facial palsy, scarring, skin disease, lid lumps, previous surgery<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div>

    A related but different problem is trichiasis<\/strong>: lashes that grow towards the eye while the lid edge itself sits in a normal position. In entropion the whole lid margin is rolled inwards, and the two conditions need different treatment.<\/p>

    Glossary: Dry eye syndrome <\/svg><\/a><\/div><\/div>\t<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n\n
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    What causes entropion?<\/h2>\n\t\t\t

    Entropion causes<\/strong> fall into four groups.<\/p>\n\t\t\t

    Type<\/th>What happens<\/th>Typical patient<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    Involutional (age-related)<\/strong><\/th>With age the lid loosens: the tendons that anchor the lower lid stretch, the retractors that pull the lid down weaken, and the muscle ring around the eye (orbicularis) slides upwards over the lid’s firm plate and rolls the edge inwards. It is the most common type<\/td>Older adults; one study of 155 people had an average age of 75 (range 56\u201393)<\/td><\/tr>
    Cicatricial (scarring)<\/strong><\/th>Scar tissue on the inner surface of the lid pulls the edge inwards. Causes include trachoma, an autoimmune skin disease (mucous membrane pemphigoid), chemical burns, injury and previous surgery<\/td>Any age; upper-lid entropion is mainly this type<\/td><\/tr>
    Spastic (spasmodic)<\/strong><\/th>A muscle spasm around the eye turns the lid in; irritation causes more squeezing, which makes it worse<\/td>Often seen in older adults, or people with eyelid spasm (blepharospasm)<\/td><\/tr>
    Congenital<\/strong><\/th>Present from birth, mostly in the lower lid; skin and muscle folds push the lashes against the eye<\/td>Babies and children; it tends to correct itself with age, so mild cases are usually watched<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div>

    Three things combine in the age-related type: horizontal laxity of the lid, weakness or detachment of the lower lid retractors, and the muscle override described above. Good surgery has to correct each of them, which is why several techniques are often combined.<\/p>\n

    Trachoma<\/strong>, a bacterial eye infection and the leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide, is a classic cause of scarring entropion: after years of repeated infection the lid scars and turns in, and the lashes scrape the eye. The World Health Organization reports that 92 million people live in trachoma-endemic areas (March 2026), and that in 2025 about 98,800 people received surgery for advanced disease.<\/p><\/div>\t<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n\n

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    \"Illustration<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t
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    What causes ectropion?<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

    Ectropion<\/strong> is mostly a problem of age as well. The NHS and the British Oculoplastic Surgery Society (BOPSS) list these causes:<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t