IngentaConnect A conservative blepharoplasty may be a means of alleviating dry e...

Authors: Floegel, Ingrid¹; Horwath-Winter, Jutta¹; Muellner, Klaus¹; Haller-Schober, Eva-Maria¹

Source: Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica, Volume 81, Number 3, June 2003 , pp. 230-232(3)

Abstract:

. Purpose:

Patients with dermatochalasis often complain of dry eye symptoms. In a prospective study, the influence of upper eyelid blepharoplasty on dry eye symptoms, tear film parameters and ocular surface morphology was evaluated. Methods:

Patients with upper eyelid dermatochalasis were studied before and 3 months after upper eyelid blepharoplasty. Changes in ocular symptoms and physical examinations such as tear film break-up time, Schirmer test without local anaesthesia, impression cytology of the bulbar conjunctiva and inflammatory reaction were recorded. Results:

Subjective dry eye symptoms were found in 11 patients (46%) preoperatively and in five patients (21%) postoperatively. Objective dry eye signs were present in eight patients (33%) before blepharoplasty and in nine patients (38%) 3 months postoperatively. Morphological findings did not change within the observation period. The inflammatory reaction shown by impression cytology decreased postoperatively. Conclusion:

Blepharochalasis may be associated with dry eye. Blepharoplasty might be a means of alleviating dry eye symptoms. The reason for this subjective alleviation might be due to reduced inflammatory reaction, changes in blink mechanism or the fact that patients are more confident about their appearance.

Keywords: dermatochalasis; dry eye syndrome; blepharoplasty; Schirmer test; impression cytology

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-0420.2003.00064.x

Affiliations: 1: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Graz, Austria

You have access to the full text article on a website external to Ingentaconnect.

Please click here to view this article on InterScience.

You may be required to register and activate access on InterScience before you can obtain the full text. If you have any queries please contact onlinehelp@oxon.blackwellpublishing.com

A conservative blepharoplasty may be a means of alleviating dry eye symptoms