Purpose: To determine the incidence and risk factors for developing blepharoptosis after vitrectomy surgery.
Methods: This prospective observational study conducted in patients who had vitrectomy surgery at the University of California, San Francisco. The patients' eyelids were photographed before, surgery and follow-up visits at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after surgery. Levator excursion (LE), palpebral fissure (PF) height and marginal reflex distance 1 (MRD1) changes from baseline were evaluated. Operative parameters associated with lid parameter changes were analyzed.
Results: Thirty-eight eyes were enrolled in the study. Multivariate analysis performed for PF changes from pre-operative were -0.47 mm, 0.33 mm, and 0.09 mm at 1 week, 1 month and 6 months after surgery, respectively (p-value 0.1, 0.2, and 0.8). The mean change of LE from preoperative was -0.44 mm, -0.15 mm, and 0.35 mm at 1 week, 1 month and 6 months after surgery, respectively (p-value 0.3, 0.7 and 0.4). The reduction of MRD1 at 1 week, 1 month and 6 months after surgery were -0.08 mm, -0.13 mm and -0.01 mm, respectively (p = .003, p = .6 and 0.9). Triamcinolone usage was associated with reduction of MRD1 and LE.
Conclusion: Blepharoptosis presents most during the first week after surgery. The possibility of developing transient changes in eyelid position after vitrectomy surgery should be discussed with patients.
Keywords: Eye lid; Ptosis after vitrectomy; Vitrectomy complication; blepharoptosis.