Changes in astigmatism after surgery for epiblepharon in highly astigmatic children: a controlled study.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate changes in astigmatism after corrective surgery in highly astigmatic epiblepharon patients compared with nonepiblepharon patients.


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 37 patients with epiblepharon and 35 patients without epiblepharon, but with initial astigmatism > or =2 D. Demographic data and preoperative data for best-corrected visual acuity, degree of astigmatism, and astigmatism axis were obtained. Postoperative data were collected at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months and at 2 years.


RESULTS
The mean age at surgery was 5.1 +/- 1.5 years. The mean amount of cylinder was 3.27 +/- 0.97 D before surgery and 2.62 +/- 1.07 D at 2 years after surgery. Linear mixed measures analysis, which was used to compare the mean cylinder between the epiblepharon and nonepiblepharon groups, showed significant group-time interaction (p < 0.01). Patients who were younger and had greater initial cylinder showed significantly greater decreases in the cylinder during 2 years of follow-up (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Significant astigmatic changes were found after surgical correction in epiblepharon patients with 2 D of astigmatism or greater compared with nonepiblepharon patients, and these changes were more significant in patients of younger age and with greater astigmatism. A high prevalence of epiblepharon during the critical period for visual development warrants physician interest in early surgery and visual rehabilitation in highly astigmatic epiblepharon patients.
Department of Ophthalmology, Sungkyunkwan University, School of Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Mo Sae
MS
Kim
Dong Sub
DS
Lee
Kyung In
KI
Woo
Hae Ran
HR
Chang
D000367:Age Factors; D001251:Astigmatism / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005124:Eye Abnormalities / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D005143:Eyelids / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity