Surgical Treatment of Thyroid-related Upper Eyelid Retraction

ABSTRACT

Lid retraction is one of the most common problems in Grave's disease. Many techniques for correction of the upper eyelid retraction have been described.The authors performed surgeries for correction of upper lid retraction by means of transconjunctival and transcutaneous recession of the aponeurosis of the levator muscle and Muller's muscle. From March 1997 to June 1999, 8 patients underwent for unilateral upper lid retraction through transcutaneous approaches and 6 patients through transconjunctival approaches.Transcutaneous and transcon-junctival approaches were effective when the recession was 1.54 mm, and 2.43 mm, respectively for every millimeter of correction for retraction desired.Two approaches were safe and efficacious and could be used for all degrees of eyelid retraction, but transcutaneous approach was thought to be more appropriate for severe eyelid retraction and blephraplasty simultaneously than transconjunctival approach.