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Ectopic cilia
Introduction
- Cause: a hair that develops from an abnormal hair follicle, erupting through the palpebral conjunctiva, on the inner surface of the eyelid, which can contact the cornea.
- Signs: usually occurs in the 12 o'clock position of the upper eyelid.
- Always pain and blepharospasm.
- Diagnosis: clinical signs and visualization of abnormal hair.
- Treatment: surgery.
- Prognosis: good.
Presenting signs
- Ocular pain; triad signs of ocular pain include blepharospasm Blepharitis (usually mild-moderate), epiphora (excessive lacrimation) and photophobia (aversion to light).
- Corneal ulceration Ulcerative keratitis is a common result of this condition.
- Clinical signs can be cyclical following the hair cycle; the hair will grow and cause irritation, then fall out resulting in temporary resolution of signs (every 4-6 weeks).
Age predisposition
- 3 months -1 year old.
Breed/Species predisposition
- Flat-coated Retriever Retriever: Flat-coated.
- English Bulldog Bulldog.
- Boxer Boxer.
- Pekingese Pekingese.
- Cocker Spaniel English Cocker Spaniel.
- Bulldog Bulldog.
- Shetland Sheepdog Shetland Sheepdog.
- Rough Collie Collie - Rough.
- Miniature Long-haired Dachshund Dachshund.
Cost considerations
- Simple surgical excision, which is usually curative.
- Referral is indicated for sufficient magnification; often this is performed under an operating microscope to ensure good visualization.
Pathogenesis
Etiology
- Congenital.
- Onset in juvenile dogs.
- Breed predispositions as above but any breed can present.
Pathophysiology
- Ectopic cilia are a type of dermoid; where normal tissue forms in an abnormal location. Normal hair follicles form in an incorrect position in the eyelid, resulting in growth of hair cilia through the palpebral conjunctiva.
- They can occur anywhere in the conjunctiva but most typically present in the upper eyelid at the 12 o’clock position, 4-5 mm posterior to the eyelid margin
. - The cilium contacts the surface of the conjunctiva and cornea during movement causing constant irritation and mechanical abrasion.
- This results in conjunctival and corneal pain and ulceration
.
Timecourse
- Tends to present in a cyclical manner of ocular pain and ulceration in young animals.
Diagnosis
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Treatment
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Prevention
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Outcomes
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Further Reading
Publications
Refereed papers
- Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
- Dulaurent T, Dulaurent A M, Mathieson I et al (2022) Ectopic cilia in 112 dogs: A multicenter retrospective study. Vet Ophthal 25 (2), 186-190 PubMed.
- Barnett K C (1988) Inherited eye disease in the dog and cat. JSAP 29 (7), 462-475 VetMedResource.
- Gwin R M, Gelatt K N & Peiffer R I (1976) Enophthalmia and entropion associated with an ectopic cilium of the upper eyelid in a dog. Vet Med Small Animal Clin 71 (8), 1098-1099 PubMed.
Other resources
- Gelatt K N, Ben-Shlomo G, Gilger B C et al (2021) Veterinary Ophthalmology. 6th edn. Wiley-Blackwell, USA.