Chronic blepharitis, if left untreated, can cause which of the following structural changes?

Chronic blepharitis is an inflammation of the eyelid margins that can lead to various structural changes in the eyelashes and the eyelid itself over time. When it comes to madarosis, this term specifically refers to the loss of eyelashes, which can indeed occur as a result of prolonged inflammation and irritation caused by blepharitis. The inflammatory process may damage the hair follicles, leading to the shedding and inadequate regrowth of lashes.

Alterations in the eyelid condition associated with chronic blepharitis can also impact the overall health of the eyelash follicles, as repeated inflammation may inhibit proper hair development, resulting in noticeable thinning or complete loss of eyelash hair. Thus, madarosis is a direct consequence of the chronic inflammation that characterizes untreated blepharitis.

The other choices represent different conditions that are not typical outcomes of chronic blepharitis. Trichiasis involves misdirected eyelashes that grow inward towards the eye, hypertelorism refers to an increased distance between the eyes due to craniofacial anomalies, and distichiasis is the presence of an extra row of eyelashes emerging from the meibomian gland orifices. While they are relevant to eyelid conditions, they do not directly result from