The results of surgical treatment to correct eyelid retraction with blepharotomy - preliminary report

The study presents early results of the surgical treatment of patients with fixed upper eyelid retraction exceeding 1 mm as a complication of Graves’ disease, trauma, or high myopia. 10 patients (8 women and 2 men), with an average age of 45, participated in the study. A total of 17 upper eyelids were operated on using the full-thickness blepharotomy method. According to the EUGOGO scale for the surgery 2 patients had mild retraction, 7 – moderate retraction, and 1 – severe retraction. The procedures were performed under local anesthesia, following current knowledge and described operative techniques. Each operated patient achieved both aesthetic and functional improvement compared to the baseline. The results were evaluated based on the reduction of the upper eyelid relative to the corneal limbus, reaching a level covering the corneal limbus. The average satisfaction score obtained was 8 points in 0–10-point scale. Blepharotomy is an effective therapeutic procedure for upper eyelid retraction, reducing eye exposure symptoms and restoring a normal appearance of the eyelids. The procedure has rare serious side effects, and patients are content with the results.