Epiblepharon with inverted eyelashes in Japanese children. II. Surgical repairs.

We used lid bracing sutures, buried sutures, and skin resection operations to correct epiblepharon in Japanese children. Epiblepharon and ocular irritation in 103 children (254 eyelids) were treated first with lid bracing sutures. Postoperatively the inversion of eyelashes resolved in 73 patients (196 eyelids). Of these 103 patients 30 (58 eyelids) developed recurrences, which included 11 who also complained of foreign body sensation and ocular pain. These 11 patients (22 eyelids) underwent a second surgical procedure (buried sutures or skin resection) before they became free of symptoms. No severe complications were noted in any of the 103 patients. We believe that lid bracing sutures correct most cases of mild epiblepharon in children and that buried sutures or skin resection are valuable for more severe conditions.