Back in 1997, Murray A. Johnstone, M.D., reported in The American Journal of Ophthalmology that 43 glaucoma patients treated with latanoprost experienced the unusual side effect of eyelashes increasing in number, length, thickness, curvature and coloring. Well, it's happened again.

Researchers in Portland, Ore., have reported a case in which they treated a 53-year-old woman with glaucoma. Five years prior to treatment, the patient lost of all of her eyelashes and much of her hair -- due to a suspected allergic reaction to ibuprofen.

After 3 weeks of Xalatan treatment, hair began to sprout on the patient's eyelids. Within 2 months, full growth of lashes occurred.

In the case report, the researchers state that it's possible that the patient's eyelash follicles were dormant until stimulated by the latanoprost drops.