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


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Floegel
Ingrid
I
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Graz, Austria. ingrid.floegel@kfunigraz.ac.at
Horwath-Winter
Jutta
J
Muellner
Klaus
K
Haller-Schober
Eva-Maria
EM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019882:Blepharoplasty / Q000379:methods*; D003483:Cutis Laxa / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005141:Eyelid Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013666:Tears / Q000378:metabolism