Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (677 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
A disease of the eye in which the eyelashes abnormally turn inwards toward the eyeball producing constant irritation caused by motion of the lids.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Trichiases.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Eyelid Diseases
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 324 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Trichiasis” (counts retrieved 2026-11-04). 123 of them (38.0%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is 2010-2019 with 173 records.
Reviews account for 17 records (5.2%) and meta-analyses for 2. Randomized controlled trials number 23 (7.1%) as a share of all records on the topic.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 27 |
| 2000-2009 | 1 |
| 2010-2019 | 173 |
| 2020 onward | 123 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 17 | 5.2% |
| Meta-analyses | 2 | 0.6% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 23 | 7.1% |
Method: PubMed query "Trichiasis"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-11-04.
Reading the evidence in eye, ear, nose and throat
Eye, hearing, nose and throat studies rely on specialist tests (visual acuity, eye pressure, audiograms, scopes) and on patient-reported symptoms, which vary between people and with age. Some conditions improve without treatment, so comparison groups matter. Nothing on this page is advice about diagnosis or treatment; sudden loss of sight or hearing needs urgent care from a qualified clinician. Check how the outcome was tested, the age of the people studied and how long they were followed.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The simplified trachoma grading system, amended | 2020 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 73 | cc by PMID 33177759 · DOI · PMC7652564 |
| Trachoma and Relative Poverty: A Case-Control Study | 2015 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 62 | cc by PMID 26600211 · DOI · PMC4657919 |
| Trachomatous trichiasis and its management in endemic countries | 2012 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 57 | cc by PMID 22285842 · DOI · PMC3316859 |
| Trachoma prevalence surveys in 15 indigenous and non-indigenous evaluation units in Brazil, 2018-2023 | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 0 | cc by PMID 40590257 · DOI · PMC13017592 |
The simplified trachoma grading system, amended [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- A simplified grading system for trachoma was published by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1987.
- Closing excerpt
- This paper presents the amended system, updates its presentation, offers notes on its use and identifies areas of ongoing debate.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (137 words)
A simplified grading system for trachoma was published by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1987. Intended for use by non-specialist personnel working at community level, the system includes five signs, each of which can be present or absent in any eye: (i) trachomatous trichiasis; (ii) corneal opacity; (iii) trachomatous inflammation-follicular; (iv) trachomatous inflammation-intense; and (v) trachomatous scarring. Though neither perfectly sensitive nor perfectly specific for trachoma, these signs have been essential tools for identifying populations that need interventions to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem. In 2018, at WHO's 4th global scientific meeting on trachoma, the definition of one of the signs, trachomatous trichiasis, was amended to exclude trichiasis that affects only the lower eyelid. This paper presents the amended system, updates its presentation, offers notes on its use and identifies areas of ongoing debate.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 33177759 · DOI · PMC7652564
Trachoma and Relative Poverty: A Case-Control Study [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundTrachoma is widely considered a disease of poverty.
- Closing excerpt
- Trachoma is a good proxy of inequality within communities and it could be used to target and evaluate interventions for health and poverty alleviation.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (217 words)
BackgroundTrachoma is widely considered a disease of poverty. Although there are many epidemiological studies linking trachoma to factors normally associated with poverty, formal quantitative data linking trachoma to household economic poverty within endemic communities is very limited.Methodology/principal findingsTwo hundred people with trachomatous trichiasis were recruited through community-based screening in Amhara Region, Ethiopia. These were individually matched by age and gender to 200 controls without trichiasis, selected randomly from the same sub-village as the case. Household economic poverty was measured through (a) A broad set of asset-based wealth indicators and relative household economic poverty determined by principal component analysis (PCA, (b) Self-rated wealth, and (c) Peer-rated wealth. Activity participation data were collected using a modified 'Stylised Activity List' developed for the World Bank's Living Standards Measurement Survey. Trichiasis cases were more likely to belong to poorer households by all measures: asset-based analysis (OR = 2.79; 95%CI: 2.06-3.78; pConclusions/significanceThis study demonstrated a strong association between trachomatous trichiasis and relative poverty, suggesting a bidirectional causative relationship possibly may exist between poverty and trachoma. Implementation of the full SAFE strategy in the context of general improvements might lead to a virtuous cycle of improving health and wealth. Trachoma is a good proxy of inequality within communities and it could be used to target and evaluate interventions for health and poverty alleviation.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 26600211 · DOI · PMC4657919
Trachomatous trichiasis and its management in endemic countries [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Trichiasis is the sight-threatening consequence of conjunctival scarring in trachoma, the most common infectious cause of blindness worldwide.
- Closing excerpt
- We examine the principles of clinical management, treatment options, and the challenging issues of providing the quantity and quality of surgery that is needed in resource-poor settings.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (126 words)
Trichiasis is the sight-threatening consequence of conjunctival scarring in trachoma, the most common infectious cause of blindness worldwide. Trachomatous trichiasis is the result of multiple infections from childhood with Chlamydia trachomatis, which causes recurrent chronic inflammation in the tarsal conjunctiva. This produces conjunctival scarring, entropion, trichiasis, and ultimately blinding corneal opacification. The disease causes painful, usually irreversible sight loss. Over eight million people have trachomatous trichiasis, mostly those living in poor rural communities in 57 endemic countries. The global cost is estimated at US$ 5.3 billion. The WHO recommends surgery as part of the SAFE strategy for controlling the disease.We examine the principles of clinical management, treatment options, and the challenging issues of providing the quantity and quality of surgery that is needed in resource-poor settings.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 22285842 · DOI · PMC3316859
Trachoma prevalence surveys in 15 indigenous and non-indigenous evaluation units in Brazil, 2018-2023 [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundTo provide the groundwork for a future declaration of elimination of trachoma as a public health problem in Brazil, we conducted house-to-house surveys following WHO methodological guidance.
- Closing excerpt
- The findings on sanitary conditions mandate public policies to overcome socioenvironmental inequalities.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (197 words)
BackgroundTo provide the groundwork for a future declaration of elimination of trachoma as a public health problem in Brazil, we conducted house-to-house surveys following WHO methodological guidance.MethodsAn observational cross-sectional study was conducted in 10 non-indigenous and five indigenous evaluation units (EUs) from 2018 to 2023; data on six EUs are reported here for the first time. Two-stage cluster sampling was used: 30 clusters per EU, and 30 households per cluster. We estimated the prevalence of trachomatous inflammation-follicular (TF) in 1-9-y-olds and trachomatous trichiasis (TT) unknown to the health system in those aged ≥15 y. Data on sanitary conditions were collected in household interviews.ResultsIn all EUs, TF prevalence was below the elimination threshold (5%). TT prevalence was lower than the 0.2% threshold in 14 EUs. In 'Noroeste Cearense' mesoregion, TT prevalence was 0.22% (95% CI 0.06 to 0.44%), but statistical analysis showed a 58% likelihood of TT elimination in this EU. In three indigenous EUs, >10% of households had no sanitary facilities and high percentages of open defecation.ConclusionsIt is highly likely that trachoma has been eliminated as a public health problem in all the EUs surveyed. The findings on sanitary conditions mandate public policies to overcome socioenvironmental inequalities.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 40590257 · DOI · PMC13017592
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Trachoma [5]
- Research article Blinding Trachoma: Systematic Review of Rates and Risk Factors for Progressive Disease [6]
- Research article The costs of monitoring trachoma elimination: Impact, surveillance, and trachomatous trichiasis (TT)-only surveys [7]
- Research article Systematic review of the incidence of post-operative trichiasis in Africa [8]
- Research article Community-level trachoma ecological associations and the use of geospatial analysis methods: A systematic review [9]
- Research article Trichiasis: characteristics and management options [10]
References
- Solomon AW, Kello AB, Bangert M, West SK, Taylor HR, Tekeraoi R, et al.. The simplified trachoma grading system, amended. . 2020. PMID 33177759 · DOI · PMC7652564
- Habtamu E, Wondie T, Aweke S, Tadesse Z, Zerihun M, Zewdie Z, et al.. Trachoma and Relative Poverty: A Case-Control Study. . 2015. PMID 26600211 · DOI · PMC4657919
- Rajak SN, Collin JR, Burton MJ. Trachomatous trichiasis and its management in endemic countries. . 2012. PMID 22285842 · DOI · PMC3316859
- Szwarcwald CL, Lopes MFC, de Souza Junior PRB, Gómez DVF, Luna EJA, de Almeida WDS, et al.. Trachoma prevalence surveys in 15 indigenous and non-indigenous evaluation units in Brazil, 2018-2023. . 2026. PMID 40590257 · DOI · PMC13017592
- Solomon AW, Burton MJ, Gower EW, Harding-Esch EM, Oldenburg CE, Taylor HR, et al.. Trachoma. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2022. PMID 35618795 · DOI
- Ramadhani AM, Derrick T, Holland MJ, Burton MJ. Blinding Trachoma: Systematic Review of Rates and Risk Factors for Progressive Disease. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2016. PMID 27483002 · DOI · PMC4970760
- Stelmach RD, Flueckiger RM, Shutt J, Davide-Smith M, Solomon AW, Rotondo L, et al.. The costs of monitoring trachoma elimination: Impact, surveillance, and trachomatous trichiasis (TT)-only surveys. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2019. PMID 31487281 · DOI · PMC6728015
- Mwangi G, Courtright P, Solomon AW. Systematic review of the incidence of post-operative trichiasis in Africa. BMC Ophthalmol. 2020. PMID 33203380 · DOI · PMC7670604
- Burgert-Brucker CR, Adams MW, Mingkwan P, Flueckiger R, Ngondi JM, Solomon AW, et al.. Community-level trachoma ecological associations and the use of geospatial analysis methods: A systematic review. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2022. PMID 35395003 · DOI · PMC9020723
- Kirkwood BJ, Kirkwood RA. Trichiasis: characteristics and management options. Insight. 2011. PMID 21717925
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-11-04; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-11-04.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.