Why do children's eyelashes easily prick their eyes?

As we grow up, we sometimes blink constantly or get pricked in the eyes by our eyelashes. In fact, this situation is very common and mostly happens to babies. This condition is also called "inverted eyelashes", which means that due to excessive eyelid fat, the eyelashes bend inward, so they can easily prick the eyes. But as long as you pay more attention and receive timely treatment, the correct position can be restored. Parents can learn about the causes and treatments for ingrown eyelashes through the following knowledge.

Inverted eyelashes are commonly known as "inverted eyelashes" and are more common in children. Because infants and young children have short and fat faces, their nasal bones have not yet developed, their eyelids (commonly known as eyelids) have more fat and thicker eyelid margins, it is easy for the eyelashes to curl inward, causing inverted eyelashes. Most infants and young children have thin and soft eyelashes. In addition, children secrete more tears, which are thicker. The thin and soft eyelashes are dipped in tears and sweep across the surface of the eyes, but most of them will not cause damage to the eyes. Since the baby blinks from time to time, the movement of the eyelashes will carry tears to various parts of the cornea (black pupil), and the cornea is avascular, and its nutrition supply mainly depends on tears. Therefore, in general, inverted eyelashes in children are harmless.

As the baby grows older, the face becomes longer, and the nasal bone develops, most inverted eyelashes can be restored to their normal position. Young parents don’t have to worry about this at all. If the eyelashes of infants and young children are inverted and thick and short, it may cause eye damage, which is manifested as red eyes (conjunctival congestion), fear of light, tearing, and rubbing the eyes. Examination may reveal punctate desquamation of the corneal epithelium and focal infiltration.

Generally speaking, if trichiasis causes corneal epithelial punctate exfoliation, it should be treated:

1. For mild cases, you can apply antibiotic eye drops or eye ointments (such as chloramphenicol eye ointment, chloramphenicol eye drops, etc.). At the same time, you can also pull the child's lower eyelid down frequently to reduce the irritation of the cornea caused by inverted eyelashes.

2. If the eyelashes are thick and short, they may poke the eyes and injure the cornea, causing focal infiltration. The child will be obviously afraid of light and tearful, and surgical correction is often required.