Question
A five-year-old child’s eyes often appear red and they frequently blink. Although they haven’t spent long periods watching TV or using their phone, we would like to understand if there are methods to improve this situation.
Answer
There can be various reasons for a child frequently blinking their eyes, besides inflammation of the eyelids and conjunctiva, trichiasis is often an overlooked factor. Normally, the edges of the eyelids are tightly adhered to the eye ball, and the eyelashes of both upper and lower eyelids curve outward slightly. Whether the eyes are open or closed, the eyelashes do not touch the eye ball. If the direction of the eyelashes changes and they touch the eye ball, stimulating the cornea, it is called trichiasis. The number of eyelashes affected can vary, sometimes just one or two, sometimes part or all of the eyelashes turn inward. For example, trichiasis is a common cause of adult trichiasis, while congenital anomalies such as inner eyelid cysts, small eyes, and eye absence are common causes in children.