title: Changes in corneal topography with upper eyelid gold weight implants.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Sussex Eye Hospital, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals, Brighton, United Kingdom. jmavrikakis@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mavrikakis
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Beckingsale
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yiasmin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Riaz
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brittain
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D006046:Gold