Have you ever felt like there’s something stuck in your eye—even though nothing is there? It may not just be dry eyes. A condition called conjunctivochalasis (CCH) is a common but often underdiagnosed cause of persistent eye irritation as well as conjunctival concretions (which we will talk more about soon). Let’s explore more about Conjunctivochalsis (CCH).
What is CCH?
The conjunctiva is the clear membrane covering the white part of your eye (the sclera). CCH occurs when this layer becomes loose, creating redundant folds much like loose skin especially if you rub your eyes alot. These extra folds disrupt your normal tear flow, decrease the tear reservoir, and the extra folds rub against the eyelids during blinking.
A specific subtype, known as Superior Limbic Keratoconjunctivitis (SLK), affects the tissue underneath the upper eyelid and can trigger mucus production and sticking of the eyelid to the eyeball especially in the mornings. It is characterized by a trapezoid pattern of irritation and inflammation of your conjunctiva under the eyelids.
Symptoms & Triggers
CCH can cause symptoms ranging from mild discomfort to chronic foreign body sensation and can also cause watering of your eyes, especially if the extra tissue blocks the tear ducts.
These symptoms can be triggered or made worse by:
- Eye rubbing (due to repeated mechanical stress)
- Allergies and ocular inflammation
- Contact lens wear
Treatment Approaches for CCH
1. Medical Management
Before considering procedures, medical therapies are typically used to help reduce ocular surface inflammation and manage symptoms:
- Mild Cases: May simply be observed if no symptoms are present.
- Moderate to Severe Cases: Viscous lubricants or gel drops help compensate for the disrupted tear meniscus.
- Over-the-counter anti-allergy drops can be helpful.
- In severe cases, autologous serum drops may be utilized to manage surface inflammation.
2. Surgical and In-Office Options
When medical drops are not enough to restore comfort, procedural options can address the underlying tissue fold:
- In-Office Conjunctivoplasty with Plasma Pen (NuVissa): This is a minimally invasive, faster-recovery procedure done directly in the office. Taking only about 5-10 minutes, it treats the loose tissue folds to improve inflammation and comfort. It is covered by insurance and features a rapid initial healing period of about 3 days.
- Traditional Surgical Excision: While traditional surgery can remove the excess tissue in an operating room setting, it is a much larger procedure requiring a significantly longer healing process.
- IPL (Intense Pulsed Light): IPL can serve as a valuable adjunct treatment for CCH. Ocular inflammation often stems from overactive blood vessels; IPL works by closing off these abnormal blood vessels, decreasing overall ocular inflammation and stabilizing the eye surface.
Post-Procedure Care for Plasma Pen Conjunctivoplasty
- Initial Care: Patients need to avoid dirty or dusty environments and refrain from swimming for 3–5 days post-procedure. Otherwise, there are no major lifestyle restrictions.
- Medications: Requires using prescribed antibiotic and steroid drops for about 10 days.
- Healing: Full healing takes approximately 6 weeks for collagen building to tighten the conjunctiva in the area of treatment. Most people need 1–2 treatment sessions.
Schedule Your Consultation Today
If you are dealing with persistent scratchiness, foreign body sensations, or eye irritation, you don’t have to suffer through it.
Call our office today at (804) 270-3333 to schedule a comprehensive consultation with Dr. Pradhan and find out which treatment plan is right for you.
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