The relationship between floppy eyelid syndrome and obstructive sleep apnoea.

PURPOSE: To determine the prevalence of eyelid hyperlaxity and floppy eyelid syndrome (FES) in obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), and the presence of OSA in FES.

PARTICIPANTS

One-hundred and fourteen patients who had been consecutively admitted for OSA evaluation and 45 patients with FES in which sleep studies were recorded.

METHODS

Subjects underwent eyelid laxity measurement, slit-lamp examination and polysomnography.

RESULTS

Eighty-nine patients were diagnosed of OSA. Fourteen patients with OSA had FES (16%) and 54/89 (60.67%) had eyelid hyperlaxity. Two of the 25 non-OSA patients had FES (8%) and 8 of 25 (32%) had eyelid hyperlaxity. There was a significantly higher incidence of eyelid hyperlaxity in OSA than in non-OSA patients (p=0.004). Thirty-eight of the 45 patients with FES were diagnosed of OSA (85%) and 65% had severe OSA.

CONCLUSIONS

OSA might be an independent risk factor for eyelid hyperlaxity and severe OSA is common in patients with FES.