Trichiasis occurs when eyelashes or other normally placed hairs curl towards the surface of the eye and cause irritation of the corneal surfaces. Distichiasis occurs when eyelashes grow abnormally from a gland in the eyelids called the tarsal gland. This allows the lashes to grow directly towards the surface of the cornea.

Trichiasis occurs most often in toy breeds with long hairs around the eyes, in pug-nosed dogs with prominent nasal folds (skin which rubs near or on the eye) and when dogs have entropion. Distichiasis occurs most often in Poodles and Cocker Spaniels and occasionally in other breeds. It is considered a genetic problem or defect.

The clinical signs of these diseases involve chronic irritation to the eye. Pain is present, an increase in tearing occurs and the cornea may become cloudy or blackened if the irritation is severe enough or goes on long enough, causing keratitis or corneal ulceration. Diagnosis is based on the symptoms and physical examination.

For simple cases of trichiasis, epilation of the hairs, preferably using electrolysis, works well but can not guarantee that the hair will not regrow. Cryoepilation, freezing the follicles, works well and may be more permanent. For distichiasis, your veterinarian may surgically remove part of the eyelid that contains the misplaced follicles; a procedure called eyelid splitting. Here too, lashes may still regrow. Dogs with prominent nasal folds and entropion need to be treated for those problems directly

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