Final answer:
Trichiasis is the condition where the lower eyelid rolls inward, potentially leading to blindness if not corrected by surgery. It often results from unchecked trachoma scarring. Trachoma is rare in the U.S. due to high sanitation and readily available antibiotics.
Step-by-step explanation:
The condition of the lower eyelid rolling inward is called trichiasis. This condition can arise due to scarring from trachoma, which, if untreated with antibiotics, leads to trichiasis where the eyelashes turn inward. The palpebral conjunctiva is the mucous membrane that could be affected by the inward rolling eyelids, as it covers the anterior surface of the eyeball and the inner eyelid.
Serious complications from trichiasis, such as blindness, are possible if not corrected by surgery.
Trachoma is rare in the United States primarily due to better standards of sanitation, widespread use of antibiotics, and general improvements in living conditions, which lower the risk of transmission and facilitate early treatment, preventing the progression to trichiasis.