Efficacy of Muller's Muscle and Conjunctiva Resection With or Without Tarsectomy for the Treatment of Severe Involutional Blepharoptosis.

PURPOSE: To determine if Muller's muscle and conjunctiva resection with or without tarsectomy is an efficacious procedure for the treatment of severe involutional blepharoptosis.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review was performed for all consecutive patients with severe involutional blepharoptosis during a 12-year period treated by a single surgeon (AMP) with a Muller's muscle and conjunctiva resection with or without tarsectomy. The inclusion criteria was good levator function (≥10 mm eyelid excursion), adequate response to phenylephrine (change in eyelid height ≥1.5 mm), and severe involutional blepharoptosis (margin-to-reflex-distance-1 ≤0 mm).

RESULTS

One hundred eyelids of 69 patients were identified that met the inclusion criteria. Mean preoperative margin-to-reflex-distance-1 was -0.65 mm and mean postoperative margin-to-reflex-distance-1 was 3.00 mm for all patients. For patients treated with Muller's muscle and conjunctiva resection without tarsectomy, mean preoperative and postoperative margin-to-reflex-distance-1 was -0.51 mm and 2.98 mm with 97.5% of the patients obtaining a lift greater than 1.5 mm.

CONCLUSIONS

The results demonstrate that Muller's muscle and conjunctiva resection with or without tarsectomy does provide another alternative to the surgeon for the management of severe involutional blepharoptosis.