AIM: To probe the effect and safety of laser ablation for minor trichiasis through the contrastive study on the effect of laser ablation and mechanical epilation in trichiasis.

METHODS: Totally 59 cases(80 eyes)of minor trichiasis(less than 10)patients were involved. The phalangosis was divided into two areas according to the patient's nasal side and bitamporal and then were practiced laser ablation and mechanical epilation to them. Post-operative stimulating sign of the two areas, eyelid fovea, skin depigmentation and trichiasis recurrence were recorded and observed. Traditional treatment was practiced to those trichiasis recurrences and they were observed for half a year.

RESULTS: The success rate of first-time laser ablation intrichiasis was 62.1% and second-time treatment was up to 88.9%, while for the mechanical epilation in trichiasis it was 5.3% and 8.2% respectively. Because of its high reoccurrence rate, after two times of mechanical epilation in trichiasis, the patients received laser ablation. After receiving laser ablation, there were no red and swollen sign, no eyelid fovea and no skin depigmentation.

CONCLUSION:Mechanical epilation has a high recurrence rate in trichiasis while laser ablation has a much lower recurrence rate and has much less complications. So laser ablation is an ideal treatment for the minor trichiasis.