Involutional lateral entropion of the upper eyelids: a new physical finding in asian patients.

OBJECTIVE

To describe a new physical finding called involutional lateral entropion (ILE) of the upper eyelid found in Asian patients.

METHODS

A prospective case series study of 53 consecutive patients with ILE of the upper eyelid, from the practice of one of the authors (J.G.C.), was performed. All of the patients in this series were Asian. Clinical findings on ocular examination, symptoms, age, and sex were obtained and tabulated.

RESULTS

The mean +/- SD age of patients was 68.9 +/- 10.1 years (range, 41-88 years); 70% were women and 30% were men. All patients presented with in-turning of only the lateral aspect of the upper eyelid bilaterally. The presenting symptoms were foreign-body sensation (85%), tearing (77%), eye redness (34%), eye pain (26%), and itchiness at the lateral canthal area (25%). Clinical findings included lateral dermatochalasis (100%), trichiasis (100%), lateral canthal eyelid laxity (100%), localized lateral conjunctivitis (42%), punctate epithelial keratopathy (11%), blepharitis (11%), and distichiasis (8%).

CONCLUSION

We describe ILE of the upper eyelid in Asian patients and explain the anatomic correlates responsible for this condition.