Eyelid Hypertrichosis Associated with Latanoprost is Reversible

Abstract

A 56-year-old woman with primary open-angle glaucoma in an only eye presented with hypertrichosis after using Latanoprost to lower IOP. After trabeculectomy with adjunctive Mitomycin C, IOP was well controlled and antiglaucoma medications could be discontinued. At eight-month follow-up the abnormal eyelashes had disappeared.

A rare complication from prostaglandin analogue therapy

“…The effect of prostaglandin analogues on hair growth is completely reversible on stopping the medication 5 . This was also the case in our patient where stopping the prostaglandin analogue decreased vellus hair growth of the lower eyelids.…”

Eyelash Length in Children and Adolescents with Allergic Diseases

“…“Secondary” or acquired trichomegaly has also been observed in systemic diseases with immune system involvement, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (19), dermatomyositis (20), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection (21–24), and during treatment with interferon (IFN)‐α (6–8), cyclosporine (9,10), and latanoprost (11–18). However, none of our patients had any of these diseases, and none were treated with these drugs.…”

“…Indirect evidence of the possible effect of prostaglandins secreted by conjunctival mast cells on eyelash growth comes from the results of clinical trials of latanoprost, a prostaglandin F 2α analogue used as a topical treatment for glaucoma (16). This drug has been reported to induce growth of eyelashes and ancillary hairs around the eyelids (11–14,17,18). Specific manifestations include greater length and thickness of the lashes and additional rows of lashes (17).…”

A review of the use of latanoprost for glaucoma since its launch

“…The clinically observable eyelashes hypertrichosis resolved following discontinuation of latanoprost or bimatoprost [176,179]. Latanoprost-induced eyelash hypertrichosis disappeared 8 months following medication discontinuation [180].…”