Changes in corneal topography with upper eyelid gold weight implants.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effect of upper eyelid gold weight implantation on corneal astigmatism.


METHODS
This is a prospective, cohort study. Eighteen eyes of 18 patients underwent upper eyelid gold weight implantation for facial nerve palsy. Nine of these patients recovered facial nerve function and underwent elective removal of the gold weight. Corneal topography was performed before and after gold weight implantation. Corneal topography was also performed after gold weight removal in patients who recovered from facial nerve paralysis.


RESULTS
With-the-rule corneal astigmatism increased significantly by 1.4 diopters (D) +/-2.0, from a mean of 0.3 to 1.7 D after gold weight implantation (p = 0.034). With-the-rule corneal astigmatism in patients who had gold weight removal decreased by 1.2 +/- 2.1 D, from 2.2 to 1.0 D after gold weight removal (p = 0.136).


CONCLUSIONS
Upper eyelid gold weight implantation causes an increase in corneal astigmatism, predominantly in the vertical axis, which appears to be reversible on removal of the gold weight.
Mavrikakis
Ioannis
I
Sussex Eye Hospital, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals, Brighton, United Kingdom. jmavrikakis@yahoo.com
Beckingsale
Peter
P
Lee
Edward
E
Riaz
Yiasmin
Y
Brittain
Paul
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019882:Blepharoplasty / Q000379:methods*; D003315:Cornea / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D019781:Corneal Topography; D005143:Eyelids / Q000601:surgery*; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006046:Gold; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000295:instrumentation*
D006046:Gold