title: Acute, unilateral transient blepharoptosis of unknown etiology: a review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe 5 patients with transient, acute, unilateral blepharoptosis of unknown etiology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records of 5 patients, which were seen in 5 different clinics between 1998 and 2011, were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ages of the patients were 7, 7, 32, 44, and 75 years (2 women and 3 men). Four patients had partial (1.5-3.5 mm) and 1 patient had total ptosis. Levator function was normal in 2 patients, and 3 patients had only 2 to 3 mm decreased levator function on the affected side. None of the patients had limited motility or any pupil abnormalities. All patients had a history of flu-like illness preceding the development of blepharoptosis. The ptosis completely resolved in 3 to 14 days in all patients and did not recur during the follow-up period (range: 2 months-7 years).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transient, acute, unilateral blepharoptosis is a very rare condition. Patients presenting with acute ptosis should be questioned about a recent history of flu-like syndrome, and if workup is negative with this history, the clinicians should suspect this rare condition.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Ophthalmology, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey; †Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.A.; ‡Department of Ophthalmology, Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey; §Beyoglu Eye Research and Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey; ‖Houston Oculoplastics, Houston, Texas, U.S.A.; and ¶Department of Ophthalmology, Albany Medical College, New York, New York, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Yonca Ozkan
authors.initials: YO
authors.lastname: Arat
authors.forename: Bülent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yazici
authors.forename: Pelin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hekimhan-Kaynak
authors.forename: Imtiaz A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Chaudhry
authors.forename: Edward J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Wladis
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001763:Blepharoptosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D005143:Eyelids / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009801:Oculomotor Muscles / Q000502:physiology; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous