Conjunctival cilia entrapment: an unrecognized cause of ocular irritation

Conjunctival entrapment of cilia is form of ocular irritation that to our knowledge has not yet been described. Scarring predisposes the conjunctiva to this phenomenon by creating blind recesses in which loose cilia can become entrapped. Once caught, the rigid cilia can act as a mechanical irritant or act as a nidus for microbial growth. We present herein three patients with entrapped cilia and discuss their pathophysiology and management. The symptoms in all three patients resolved with conjunctivoplasty and removal of the cilia.