Eyelash loss & getting stuck in eyes...?

[dryeyepete]

I'm 20 and have been suffering with dry eyes for just over a year now. I'm wondering if any of you find that you tend to lose quite a few eyelashes throughout the day? Sometimes they fall out of their own accord, or when I'm cleaning my eyelids.

The real problem with this is that at least once a day, one of these runaway eyelashes gets stuck in my eye - which can be highly uncomfortable and difficult to remove (often having to touch my eyeball with my finger to get it out! yuck!!). Is this a common problem with your dry eyes, or a seperate symptom just for me?

Thanks.

[NYer]

It happens to me, too, Pete, especially when I'm cleaning my eyelids. I use preservative-free saline on a Q-tip (cotton bud) to gently get the lashes out of my eye.

[nopoint]

Happens to me also from time to time.

[irish eyes]

Hi Pete

I'm pretty much the same as you - I lose quite a few on some days.

It's normal for lashes to fall out - in the same way that hairs fall out. Losing more of them is inevitable since you are dealing with the eye area more than you would if you didn't have an eye complaint.

Mine have grown back but in all sorts of directions - my left eye is particularly bad and I have to `tame' the lashes with mascara so they don't point into my eye. Great fun when you're in a hurry!

I'm not squeamish any more when it comes to touching the eye - I always have a magnifying mirror to hand and a quick swipe means the offending lash is out of the way.

[GinaJ]

Do you have blepherititis too? Cause when I was at the worst of my bleph I constantly had eye lashes in my eyes. I try to keep them as clean as possible because I see that when I do less fall out. It may be a fluke though

[rubyslippers]

Since I have been doing daily lid scrubs without missing a day, I have full and lush lashes again like I have not had in decades. Before the scrubs I had virtually no lower lashes and only spotty upper ones and lost them constantly.

[irish eyes]

Ruby

Did your eyelids used to be inflamed also? For years I was lucky to have very thick black eyelashes but now they are coarse and some have no pigmentation. The lid scrubs seem to have done more harm than good - but it is interesting to read of your experience.

My left eye is the worst - the outer edge is always red and very, very sore. I keep the eyes clean but I wondered if the substances used in the commercial scrubs might not suit everyone.

[NYer]

I tried the commercial stuff for a few days and found that it dried the skin under my eyes. In addition, Dr. L vehemently opposed the use of that stuff when I mentioned it. He also said to stay away from baby shampoo, as is recommended by many doctors.
I use Preservative Free saline (Unisol 4) on a Q-Tip and clean the base of the lashes very thoroughly a few times a day, while looking into a magnifying mirror (strong magnification of 15x - bought it at Bed Bath and Beyond). I can see every crumb and I gently wipe them all off.

[Justpeachythx]

I am such a baby when it comes to getting anything in my eyes. And yes, since this outbreak of DES, at least twice a week a stray eyelash or eyebrow hair seems to find its way into an eye and it's much harder to remove from a dry eye. If it's in the inside corner area somewhere I've learned how to flush it out with a squirt or two of PF unisol. Never thought of using a q-tip. Will the eyelash stick to it or do you have to "drag" it out. (Giving me the willey's just thinking about it --- yes, I am a baby.)

[NYer]

I soak the Q-Tip with Unisol and twirl the Q-Tip lightly on the cornea where the lash is and it catches it. By soaking the Q-Tip, it actually feels nice on your eyeball and not like you're touching something icky on your eye, because it moisturizes it at the same time. Plus, a dry Q-Tip wouldn't adhere to the lash.

[rubyslippers]

No, my eyelids were not inflamed at that time. During that time period my eyes themselves though, were painfully inflamed and steroid drops only made them worse. It was horrible. My doctor feels lid scrubs are healthy for everyone and he got me started. I do it in the shower and bought a shower mirror. I use hot wash cloths on my eyes as a compress while I let my conditioner do it's 3 minute thing on my hair. I let the hot water run through the cloth. Then I take a Q-tip and wet it with the hot water (a dry one is horrible for me) and do my eyelid "scrub". Basically I repeatedly move the Qtip like I am putting on pencil eyeliner but only with more pressure.

I have had sore eyelid margins at times and I believe I have a mild case of Rosacea. I have a red area under one eye that has been there off and on for 20 years. Now and then it feels like my cheeks and side of my face are horribly sunburned. It can last for 10 days and my eyes will feel the same way. It is awful but Ibuprofen makes it bearable and it always goes away. Funny thing is that my skin never gets red. My doctor says I have the type of skin he feels is prone to Rosacea. Think Mini Driver--very dark hair, pale skin with cheeks that blush easily, quite red lips and a sprinkling of freckles. He says this "Irish skin" (yes I am part Irish) is prone to Rosacea. I burn easily and then can get really tan, but always go very pale in the winter.

At any rate, I am thrilled to have my lush eyelashes back at 52 years. They are black and very thick, especially on the uppers. They have not looked like this since my early 20's. People remark on it constantly. As soon as I quit the lid scrubs I start losing lashes. It is very motivating to keep it up.

[irish eyes]

Ruby's eyelashes

You are talking me round Ruby! I'm the `full Irish' and my complexion and colouring sound like yours (and Minnie Driver's !!).

Of late, my forehead and the area between the eye brows have also become rather red and sore - a lady in the pharmacy thought that it looked like rosacea (and of course tried to sell me the ideal product to cure it!) Since this redness started, I think my eyes have become a bit tougher to cope with so I wonder is it all connected in some way.

Thanks for that.

[rubyslippers]

You might see a dermatologist. Yours sounds like it might be enough to get treatment. My eye doctor thinks mine is so mild or in early stages. I have had the symptoms off and on for years but they go away and never amount to anything, but I do think it is part of my eye problem.

[NYer]

Irish,
I second the suggestion about seeing a dermo. "Red and sore on your forehead between the eyebrows" is not typical of rosacea. It's typical of seborrheac dermatitis.
Rosacea is typically more around your cheeks and lower part of your nose.

[irish eyes]

Hi Ruby
Hi NewYorker

Thanks for that - I think I need to mention it to my GP when I next go. If I am honest, I was beginning to think that it didn't correspond exactly to people's description of rosacea - but I thought that was what I had because the lady in the pharmacy said so!! She said it was typical `for ladies of my age'.

Delicately put I suppose!