ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To analyze the changes of astigmatism and keratometric cylinder by using the scalar and vector analysis method in children who had undergone surgery for epiblepharon or ptosis. METHODS: The study subjects were 142 eyes of 79 patients who had undergone surgery for epiblepharon or ptosis. We examined the cycloplegic refractive error and keratometric astigmatism by auto-refractometry before and 2 months after surgery. Astigmatic changes were analyzed through the scalar and vector analysis method. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 5.27+/-2.18 years of age, and the male to female ratio was 35: 44. There were 98 eyes of 49 patients in the epiblepharon surgery group, 28 eyes of 22 patients in the ptosis surgery group, and 16 eyes of 8 patients in the epiblepharon and ptosis surgery (combined surgery) group. The epiblepharon surgery group demonstrated a decrease in with-the-rule astigmatism, and the changes in magnitude (p<0.001) and vector (p<0.05) of keratometric cylinder were statistically significant. The ptosis surgery group demonstrated an increase in with-the-rule astigmatism and the changes in magnitude and vector of astigmatism were statistically significant (both p<0.01). The combined surgery group demonstrated an increase in with-the-rule astigmatism and the changes in vector of astigmatism and magnitude of keratometric cylinder were statistically significant (both p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed significant astigmatic change in eyes that underwent surgery for epiblepharon or ptosis. Therefore, careful cycloplegic refraction is necessary after epiblepharon or ptosis surgery.