Ectropion - Symptoms of ectropion

In ectropion, the lower eyelid droops outwards, causing redness, irritation and watering of the eye.

There may also be a mucous discharge from your eye and crusting of the lids.

Each time you blink, your eyelids coat your eyes with tears. The tears lubricate and protect your eyes and drain into tiny openings called tear ducts on the inside of your eyelids.

However, if your eyelid droops away from your eye, it can disrupt the draining process which can trigger symptoms such as:

• redness and irritation of the eye
• watery eyes
• a dry eye, which can be sore and may feel gritty
• infection 

These are described in more detail below.

Redness and irritation

The drooping of the lower lid away from your eyeball may cause the lid lining to become red and swollen due to being exposed to the air. Your lid may also discharge mucous and crust over.

Watery eyes

Watery eyes are another common symptom of ectropion. The affected eye may water if tears build up inside the drooping eyelid and do not drain properly.

If your eye waters, it’s likely that you will have to constantly wipe tears away from your eye. This can lead to increased redness, discomfort and more watering.

Dry eyes

Your eye may also become dry and sore if your drooping lower eyelid prevents your eye closing properly and stops old tears draining away. As your eye is exposed to the air it will not be lubricated by fresh tears.

Infection

If your tears are unable to drain properly, bacteria will not be cleaned away from the surface of your eye, making it vulnerable to infection. If the tissue at the front of your eye becomes infected it is known as conjunctivitis.

Some of the symptoms of conjunctivitis, such as redness and watering of the eye, are similar to those of ectropion. You may also experience mild eye pain and have a sticky coating on your eyelashes when you wake up.