Ectropion
In ectropion the lower lid of your eye hangs away from the eyeball, so that the lower half of the exposed surface of the eyeball and the lining of the lower lid become dry and sore. Also, the tears that normally lubricate the lining of of your eyelids and the front of the eye may be prevented from entering the tear duct in the lower lid. If this happens, the tears will run down your cheek.
What are The Risks?
Ectropion usually occurs in older people because the muscle in the lower lid that keeps the lid taut against the eyeball may become weak. The condition can also be caused at any age by a scar on the lower lid or cheek that has contracted and pulls down the lid. If ectropion is not treated, corneal ulcers may develop on the exposed cornea and damage it permanently.
What Should be Done?
The condition rarely disappears of its own accord, so you should see your physician, who will arrange for you to have an operation on the tissues beneath the eye. This is a minor procedure that requires only a local anesthetic and should clear up the problem.