Have you ever heard of an ocular condition known as conjunctivochalasis? Do you have loose skin on your eyeball? Are you wondering how conjunctivochalasis is diagnosed and treated? What are the symptoms of conjunctivochalasis?
Conjunctivochalasis.
It is an ocular condition that causes the skin around the eyeball to sag. Its symptoms are uncomfortable and unpleasant to the patient. It may cause your eyelids to wrinkle. A thin layer of skin is present beneath the lower eyelid for patients with conjunctivochalasis. Droopy skin covers the patient’s cornea leading to vision impairment.
To diagnose this condition, the doctor will look at the lower eyelid and check if there are any signs of trauma on the surface. Fortunately enough, this condition can be treated easily. This condition will not go away on its own unless you see a physician. To avoid getting corneal ulcers and pain around the eye, you should seek treatment as soon as possible.
Causes of conjunctivochalasis.
- Age
As a person ages, the conjunctiva stretches and thins out. The conjunctiva is a tissue on the eyeball’s surface.
- Prolonged use of contact lenses.
When someone uses the same type of contact lenses for a long time without taking any breaks. Sometimes daily disposable contact lenses can be misused by failing to take them off when you sleep.
- Thyroid dysfunction.
If your thyroid is underactive or produces lots of hormones, you might be susceptible to this condition.
- Medication.
Certain medications like antibiotics, antiviral treatments, and anti-malarial drugs can lead to this condition.
- Excessive eye dryness or allergic reaction.
- Eye surgery.
When you previously had eye surgery, this condition may develop.
- Condition like blepharitis.
This condition causes inflammation of lashes and eyelids. It can lead to conjunctivochalasis.
Symptoms of conjunctivochalasis.
The first symptom you will notice is that your eyesight gets blurry and it is difficult to blink. The eyelids become red. There will be wrinkles at the edge of the eyelids. The skin around your eyeballs becomes loose. If you notice the following signs, you should see a professional eye doctor.
- Redness around the eye when you wake up.
- When wearing contact lenses, you experience a significant amount of pain.
- You suddenly cannot read without glasses.
- You get frequent headaches.
The symptoms gradually progress. You will not notice some of these symptoms early. Conjunctivochalasis symptoms include:
Blurred vision.
You will get blurry vision when you blink or look away from a bright light source. It is because the loose skin on your eyelids irritates the eye when contacted.
Watery eyes.
Eye irritation causes dryness. When the extra skin rubs against the eye, it produces tears to compensate for the dryness.
Eye irritation.
The eye burns and is irritating. You may feel like a foreign body is in your eyes and you need to rub it to remove what is stuck. It may not be the case leading to further irritation.
Dry eyes.
The eye lacks natural lubrication since the condition leads to tearing circulation impairment. Your eyes may be excessively dry leading to an incredible itchy sensation. It may irritate when the loose skin rubs against the eye. Patients cannot blink because the excess eyelid skin is interfering with their blinking reflexes. When you blink excessively, the symptoms will worsen.
Diagnosis of conjunctivochalasis.
If you suspect that you have conjunctivochalasis, you should visit an ophthalmologist for examination. The eye doctor will run several tests. The Slit lamp examination test is done. Any appearance abnormality is detected when the eye is exposed to light while moving around. To help make an accurate diagnosis, the doctor will take photographs. The eye doctor will ask you if you have any underlying medical condition or an allergy. Before making the final diagnosis, the doctor will rule out other conditions like dry eye syndrome, glaucoma, and allergies. After additional conjunctival folds are detected, the doctor will know what is causing the condition, how severe it is, and how to proceed with treatment.
Treatment options.
You should consult an eye doctor with expertise in treating the condition. They will determine which treatment option is best for you. Most treatment options are done to manage the condition but not eliminate it.
Surgery.
An ophthalmologist conducts the surgery. General or local anesthesia is used in the procedure. The excess skin that causes pain, redness, irritation, and dryness is removed. To remove the extra tissue from the eyelid margin a corneal spatula is used.
Lubricating eye drops.
It helps to prevent the buildup of mucous that could lead to bacterial infections. It ensures the cornea is protected. To avoid hindering the healing process or making it worse, you should apply the eye drops sparingly. An ophthalmologist should advise you on the best type of dry eye relief to use, when to use it, and how often to use it.
Wear an eye patch at night.
After applying eye drops to relieve eye dryness, most patients prefer to wear an eye patch before sleeping. An eye patch helps to conserve moisture when you sleep. To see improvements, the patient should wear the eye patch for at least a few weeks.
Topical antihistamines.
To manage burning and itchy eyes, you should apply topical antihistamines. It is directly applied to the eyes and offers relief in a few hours. You can get it over the counter. You don’t need a medical consultation or any expensive prescription for the treatment. It blocks the production of histamines hence reducing inflammation and swelling of the eye.
Conclusion.
Loose skin on your eyeball indicates that you may be suffering from an ocular condition called conjunctivochalasis. This condition is caused by age, thyroid dysfunction, eye surgery, medication, excessive eye dryness, and prolonged use of contact lenses. If you are experiencing symptoms like blurred vision, dry eyes, watery eyes, or eye irritation you should visit an ophthalmologist for an eye examination. After the diagnosis of the condition, the eye doctor will recommend the treatment. The treatment options include surgery, applying topical antihistamines, lubricating eye drops, and finally wearing an eye patch when sleeping.