cicatricial ectropion

[bunnyrabbit123]

Well, after getting some relief with IPl treatments a couple of years ago and recently throwing money away on lipiflow, I'm now being told this may be part of the problem.. Does anyone have any experience with this? Have you had surgery for it? What was involved? I'm so tired of this problem and changing diagnosies, I could puke!!

[spmcc]

Hi Bunnyrabbit,

I don't have cicatricial entropian and had to google it to learn. Anyway, on the first page that I read it said: Temporary relief of entropion may be provided by the taping of the lower eyelid to the cheek but the treatment is usually surgical.

Have you tried taping to get some relief? I tape my right lower lid sometimes (again not because of cicatricial entropian... at least no one has mentioned entropian yet). I don't tape down to my cheek tho... just a bit of torn tape across the lower lid underneath the lashes. I think just the support of holding my lower lid up and "stiff" helps my worse eye. It's not something for public viewing, but I do it under my moisture chambers at home (double whammy!). About 14 months ago, I had lateral tarsal strip surgery with sclera grafts (both eyes), but I think my lower lids need even more support than what was put in.

I will warn you... prior to my surgery, I watched a video of the surgery on YouTube and regretted it. So, if you do elect to have surgery, I recommend that you don't google any videos.

I understand what you mean about getting tired of it all... I'm 17 years into this and just keep doing all the stuff I can without a lot of change to my eyes (IPL, probing, LipiFlow, surgery and on and on). I hope you get some help at last with this new diagnosis. Fingers crossed!

All the best,
Sheila

[bunnyrabbit123]

Dear Sheila, Thanks for the kind words and the warning to stay away from youtube, which I can barely resist- it sounds like we are talking about the same thing-it's sag in the lower lids, yes? I also have a bit of scleral show. If I may ask, what are sclera grafts? What did your surgery involve? What was used to add support to the lower lids? What was recovery like. I've been to more doctors in the last 3 years than in my entire life. Pm me if you prefer. Thank you for anything you'd care to share.
Claire

[spmcc]

Dear Sheila, Thanks for the kind words and the warning to stay away from youtube, which I can barely resist- it sounds like we are talking about the same thing-it's sag in the lower lids, yes? I also have a bit of scleral show. If I may ask, what are sclera grafts? What did your surgery involve? What was used to add support to the lower lids? What was recovery like. I've been to more doctors in the last 3 years than in my entire life. Pm me if you prefer. Thank you for anything you'd care to share.
Claire

Hi Claire,

Yes, after reading a bit more on CE, I believe we are talking about the same surgery. And Yes, I had some scleral showing below the irises... not a lot, but enough that an oculoplastic ophthalmologist recommended the surgery to me in 2010. I saw 4 more oculoplastic ophthal to get their opinions.* But I had so many different opinions (with grafts, without grafts, surgery may help dryness, surgery probably won't help dryness etc.), that it took me years to make a decision. Once I made the decision, I still scheduled and cancelled the surgery a couple times before I eventually had it done!

I had cadaver scleral grafts put in. The grafts act like a spacer to provide vertical height and stiffness that support the lower eyelids. As for the specifics of the surgery, I'm going to have to put something together and I'll probably PM you. It'll take a little while, but I won't forget!

In the meantime, try taping. It doesn't mess up vision so you can do all your usual stuff *away from the public* (haha). It really helps me with discomfort in my right eye.

All the best,
Sheila

*plus I corresponded with a number of people from DEZ who had it done.

[bunnyrabbit123]

Yes Sheila,
This is what's driving me mad! the one thing these drs. can agree on is that there's sag in those lids and scleral show,other than that, like you, opinions on whether this will help are all over the place. One dr. even said "Oh, you don't want that surgery" which really scared me. Would you say the surgery has improved your dry eye?

[LesYou]

I have been recently diagnosed with cicatricial ectropion too. My ophthalmologist sent me to an oculoplastic surgeon who is telling me I need lower eyelid grafts. All of this is due to cosmetic eyelid surgery I had many years ago. It took until now to find out my diagnosis even though I've been seeing ophthalmologists for years. The oculoplastic surgeon I saw would not show me pictures of patients who had this procedure which makes me very uncomfortable. I've read these grafts often don't cure the problem, and they can look really terrible because they don't match the skin on your face. My plan is to see another oculoplastic surgeon for a second opinion.

I see your post was in July 2014. If you have any updates or suggestions, please write.

Thanks very much.